Made to Be a Monster
by coveryoureyes
Summary: In 1914 Beatrix Lynch Mikaelson woke up on fire, alone, and without any memory of the last five years. But when Elijah is daggered nearly a century later in Mystic Falls the pieces of her life she had been compelled to forget return, including the memories of her husband. Now Bea is enraged, ruthless, and above all determined to get Kol out of his coffin.
1. Chapter 1

_Present Day_

The memories didn't return in pieces. It wasn't gradual. One moment Beatrix was unloading her dishwasher and singing along with the radio, and the next she was hitting the floor on her knees, clutching her head against the onslaught of things forgotten that began flashing through her mind.

The process was quick but it felt like ages had passed by the time she gripped the edge of her counter and rose unsteadily to her feet.

The five years of her human life before she turned had all but vanished and now she knew that it had only taken the utterance of the words, "You will not remember anything concerning your relationship with my brother, and you will no longer remember the existence of vampires."

Her first reaction was that the wording had been somewhat ironic considering Bea had woken up on fire the next day alone on a river bank with an unexplained craving for blood and no idea how she had gotten there. Except now, _finally_ she knew what had happened to her - what had caused those gaps in her memory that nearly drove her mad.

Images raced through her mind, nearly all of them focusing on a young looking man with dark eyes and a smile that caused an echo of butterflies to form in her stomach as she re-watched pieces of her own life that had been lost - no, _taken_ \- from her.

 _Kol._

* * *

 _November, 1909_

Beatrix stared at the book shelf in front of her. More accurately, she stared _up_ at it. When Mark had asked her to re-shelve a few things for him she didn't think he'd meant that she would have to scale the _Mt. Everest of goddamn bookshelves_.

She couldn't really complain though – working for her brother in law had been one of the best decisions she'd ever made. He owned a small shop that was marketed as an apothecary and bookstore but whose back room contained magic ingredients and baubles she was admittedly a bit wary of, no matter how often the warlock assured her of their harmlessness. But no matter. Times were difficult for a young, unmarried woman and at 19 she was in no way ready to settle down and become a housewife or pop out an army of children, so getting wages all on her own was absolutely vital.

Beatrix grumbled quietly to herself in French and resigned herself to her task after deciding to suck it up. She put down the stack of books she had been carrying with as much gentleness as she could – she would throw herself in front of a train before sitting through yet another one of Mark's lectures on the importance of "book safety" - and began scouring the shop for the stepping stool she knew she had seen just a moment ago.

"…that you had some of the artifacts that I've been seeking."

"Sure. Give me one moment to grab what you're looking for."

Bea stopped upon hearing Mark's footsteps trail to the back room and was immediately curious as to who the other man was, completely forgetting her task. A magic customer? A Brit, from the sound of it. This she had to see. In the year she had been employed at the shop she had never been present when a witch or warlock dropped by.

She began slowly moving in the direction of the register, wanting to sneak a peek at the man while trying to keep her heels from clacking on the floor and letting the mysterious man know that she was approaching. However, when she peeked around the shelf she'd been behind she saw that the store was empty.

"Hello."

Letting out an embarrassing shriek, Bea spun around and nearly tripped into the man who had suddenly appeared behind her. Instead of steadying her or apologizing, the man started to laugh loudly and sounded equal parts pleased and mocking.

Not one to stand by when she was being made a fool of, she took a deep breath and straightened herself out, brushing imaginary lint off of her skirt before coolly meeting the eyes of the customer who had thought it funny to nearly give her a heart attack.

Wow. She may have been annoyed with him, but Bea could appreciate a handsome man when she saw one. Dark eyes and hair matched with a dimpled chin made quite a picture. Unfortunately, based on the cocky smirk that now rested on his face, he was a handsome man who _knew_ it.

Before she could get a word in to attempt to salvage her dignity, he began to speak in an amused tone, "And who might you be, Red?"

 _He did not._

Bea was a bit touchy when it came to the color of the hair that only just brushed her shoulders, what with it being the only trait she'd inherited from her father's Irish ancestry. But it was strawberry-damn-blonde thank you very much, not _red_. She had heard enough mocking about fiery tempers and the like in her lifetime to be more than sick of them.

Lifting an eyebrow she made sure to insert as much sarcasm into her voice as she could when she replied, "I'm just a lowly book keeper. Consider me thoroughly charmed by your presence."

A little bit of the condescension left his eyes and was replaced by genuine mirth but she wasn't interested in staying to have a conversation with the rude man, even if he was a prospective customer.

"Really, its been _lovely_ meeting you, but I have to get back to work."

"May I have the name of the woman who nearly plowed me over?"

Bea began indignantly sputtering, embarrassed and hating the fact that he was getting under her skin. She desperately wanted to get in the last word, but this stupidly handsome maybe-warlock was effectively steamrolling her efforts.

"I did not plow you over!"

Completely ignoring her response, the man reached for her hand, and before she could snatch it back he had raised it to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to it. His eyes however were anything but gentle. Something predatory had snuck into his expression, and Bea became annoyed after recognizing the leer of a man who very clearly thought she could be talked into his bed.

"I'm Kol. And it is a pleasure to meet you, darling."

Oh Jesus. Mark needed to find whatever book or trinket this guy was looking for _now_ and come back to handle the transaction. The fluttery feeling at the pet name was reflexive. She refused to acknowledge it as anything else.

"Fine. It's Beatrix."

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

Bea was seriously struggling not to roll her eyes. The very least he could do was be original, but it seemed like she'd be hearing the usual lines before he finally got the hell out of the store. Thankfully she was saved by Mark re-entering the room with a bundle wrapped in newspaper.

"Here it is. Recovered in the sixteenth century. It will take a few days for the rest of what you were seeking to arrive, and it won't be cheap, Mr. Smith."

Kol waved off Mark's words, flippantly saying "The price is unimportant. I'll return on Friday then, if that works."

"Absolutely."

Kol started to walk toward the door, but just as Bea began to turn to return to re-shelving he slowed his gait and turned his head slightly.

"I look forward to seeing you again soon, _chéri_ Beatrix."


	2. Chapter 2

_February, 1910_

"Have I made any untoward advances on you in the last month?"

Beatrix raised her eyebrows at him and made a face that clearly answered _yes_.

Kol backtracked quickly, amending his statement to, "Alright then. The last two weeks?"

Bea walked past him, not meeting his eyes or acknowledging his words as she looked once more to the inventory sheet, making sure that all of the books on belladonna were accounted for.

Not one to let her escape the subject, he continued, "Bea, darling, come on now. I've been mature and everything. Don't I deserve some - "

Finally turning to him, her voice came out quieter than she wished it would when she replied in as firm a tone as she could, "No. I will not be a notch on your bedpost, as I know your 'dates' end. What we have is good and I look forward to your company when you visit. So please, Kol. Do not ask again and risk ruining that."

His expression fell into a look he rarely showed. When he first began regularly visiting the shop Bea had wanted nothing more than to oh-so-accidentally have a shelf fall onto him. Then... well. He grew on her. His outlandish comments and bawdy jokes matched her sarcastic and dry sense of humor and it was easy speaking to him. He even understood a bit of French and didn't grow annoyed when she accidentally slipped into the second language she had spoken as a child, instead he tried to keep up. But the serious expression he now wore looked out of place on him and made it clear to her that he had received her message.

"As you wish."

* * *

 _May, 1910_

There was whiskey in her tea. In fact, at this point there was probably more whiskey in her cup than there was tea. But there were certain situations and conversations that required alcohol, and Bea was no stranger to it in the first place. She _was_ Irish, after all.

She took a sip of her drink and let out a low whistle. "Wow."

"Mhm."

"Your father sounds like an enormous ass, _mon ami_."

Kol leaned back in his chair and took a large swig of the whiskey straight from the bottle, ignoring the glass in front of him that contained a mixed drink. He looked at bottle as if considering putting it down, but then continued to drink for another few gulps.

When he finally finished he replied in a flippant tone, "That sums it up nicely, yes."

Bea knew him well enough at this point to detect that he was not feeling as detached as he sounded, but there was no way she would call him out for it. After telling him about her own mother's early death and father's following downward spiral into drunkenness that led to their estrangement he had revealed a bit about his own past, something unprecedented in their friendship.

After his opening sentence of, "My real last name is Mikaelson, and my family is a bit fucked." she had walked to her kitchen and pulled out the liquor.

Though he had only told her what she suspected to be the barest bones of his history, she was pleased that he had shared with her at all. It had been clear very quickly to Bea that although nosy and prying, Kol himself was an intensely private person, and to tell her about his family was the most personally they had conversed since meeting.

It was strange to think that she had met him less than half a year ago. Already she spoke to him more than anyone barring her sister and perhaps her brother-in-law due to their interactions at work. What began as sarcastic conversation gradually became more, beginning the moment she had absentmindedly invited him to her apartment for tea. Now there was a chipped blue mug in her cupboard she considered his.

Strange indeed.

"I attempted to make a roast last night. Are you hungry enough to risk it?"

Kol laughed and made an exaggeratedly disgusted face before muttering, "I'm drunk, not bloody suicidal."

She tried to appear offended but soon gave in to laughter as well. However, before moving on to lighter topics she wanted to give some sort of proper response to what he had shared.

"My sister and I used to despise each other. We fought constantly. All of our childhood actually, and not just with words," she said, adding a joking wink to her statement so the mood didn't get too somber.

It appeared to work when he smirked in response and teased, "Oh really? You'd be wrestling in the dirt, coming home covered head to toe?"

She scoffed and answered in an offended tone, "Obviously not. I'd be victorious of course, coming home clean and unbloodied."

Instead of laughing as she had expected, a soft smile she'd only seen once or twice came over him. Before she could question him as to what was on his mind he spoke absentmindedly and with the slightest slur to his words.

"I knew you'd be different."

* * *

 _August, 1910_

She honestly didn't notice when the lingering looks started. Not on his part - no, his hadn't ever really stopped – but her own eyes had begun to stray to him when she grew distracted.

To his credit, Kol had never pushed for anything more than friendship after she had made it clear that she did not wish to accompany him on any dates. But now there was a bit of a predicament.

She _knew_ him. And she liked him anyway. Bea had many faults, this she knew, but obliviousness was not among them. She did not look to him and see a fairy tale prince. There was a darkness in Kol that showed itself occasionally in cruel comments he said absentmindedly or when he displayed his utter indifference to the suffering of others, though he seemed to count Bea as an exception. Every once in a while he would slip – say something that made no sense or hinted at a past of incredible violence, and keeping his last name a secret from all but her was not a sign of a normal life. She knew all this, and still she was staring to care for him more deeply than friendship anyway.

Quintessentially, she was screwed.

And the goddamn South Carolina heat was not helping matters _at all_. More heat meant less clothing, and Kol had a very, very sharp form.

Her problem with the now-blazing sunshine was made worse by another issue that plagued her. Self consciousness was something Bea had grown used to over the course of her life, but it became even more of a problem for her in the warmer months of the year, when cardigans and coats were not only unexpected but would look incredibly out of place as well. That meant there was nothing to cover her arms.

Yes, rationally she knew that the scars weren't her fault. A toddler overturning a pot of boiling water wasn't something that could have been predicted, and yet Bea had to suppress a flinch of shame every time someone's eyes lingered over the warped skin that had been burned in the accident that covered her right shoulder and upper arm, spanning across part of her upper chest. Perhaps it was egotistical to think that everyone was watching and judging her, but she truly couldn't help but feel the attention in the worst of ways.

Thus far she had been able to wear clothing that had sleeves ending at the elbows, but today her blouse was cropped at the shoulder.

Kol was coming by later when she was done with her shift at the store to walk her home. Inevitably of course he would stay for tea, occasionally dinner even, during which he would typically complain about her cooking but finish everything on his plate. His flirty comments had remained a part of their friendship but were often followed by joking responses. Nevertheless, a sick feeling grew in her stomach when she thought of his reaction to seeing the mutilated skin on the girl he had always thought to call "beautiful" or "stunning".

Bea was wrapping up for the day with hour left to unpack a new shipment of candles when she was suddenly grabbed from behind.

" _Merde!_ Damn it, Kol!"

Letting out a loud laugh he wound his arms around her middle in an embrace that would be considered entirely too familiar if anyone was to see, but she relaxed into the hold to show that she wasn't truly annoyed.

However, she stiffened up when he leaned forward to prop his chin on scarred shoulder. Shrugging out of his hold, she didn't meet his eyes, instead looking down to the box on the floor as she forced herself not to blush.

"Don't you have something else to be doing? I still have work to do."

But Kol wasn't about to leave it at that.

"What'd I do?"

A quick glance showed that he was wearing a confused and apprehensive expression. He was clearly expecting a scolding or for her to go off on him, which admittedly she had a tendency to do. Bea did sometimes wonder how he put up with her nagging.

"You didn't do anything. Just a bit _remuant pour le moment_ – sorry, I meant I'm just a bit restless."

There were many upsides of having gained Kol's friendship. A downside was that he now called her out on her bullshit _all the goddamn time._

"Let's try this again. What's bothering you?"

She knew that he wouldn't stop pestering her until she gave him an answer he deemed satisfactory so she tried to remain nonchalant. It was embarrassing how affected by her scarring she felt, so she downplayed as best she could.

Vaguely gesturing with her left hand to her scarred shoulder she said in a light voice, "Well I know it's a tad gross, so I don't like people touching it."

The tension immediately bled out of him and he dropped his previously stiff shoulders, slouching against the wall and relaxing.

"What, your arm? Still works, doesn't it?"

Bea didn't know what sort of response he was expecting, so she lifted her arm up and then let it drop back to her side to show the obvious answer to his question. Raising her eyebrows she nodded back, prompting an explanation.

"Then it's still just an arm. Bit rougher than others that's true, but it's attached to a girl a bit better than others. Cosmic turnabout, I'm sure."

And at that moment she was sure that they could be she would be more than just another conquest of his.

"Kol?"

"Yes?"

"Can I take you out on a date?"


	3. Chapter 3

_September, 1910_

Their first date had been a disaster so far.

Dancing seemed like a good idea in theory, something romantic that meant close proximity and music. Bea had not factored in her lack of balance and coordination. After what must have been the twentieth time she lurched the wrong way and tangled up their legs, Kol had carefully suggested that they call it quits on the dance floor.

Now they were walking back to her home, as he had insisted he accompany her. The silence was uncomfortable, and Bea was internally _cringing_. Months – literal months! – of build up, and it seemed like she and Kol weren't meant to be anything more than friends. Even that might be ruined now because of her stupid impulse to ask him out on a date.

They reached her door quickly. It seemed like both of them were itching for this night to end because they nearly simultaneously blurted out,

"Well it's been fun –"

"I think I'll be going to bed now –"

And once again: silence.

With more anger than she really should have, Bea shoved her keys into the front door of her apartment building before swinging the door open harshly.

The door, however, was stopped by Kol's face.

"Fucking shit!"

Although truth be told with all of the blood gushing down his face it came out a bit more like "Fudding shid".

Panicking at the sight of her friend's bleeding nose, Bea grasped his arm and pulled him inside, rushing into her apartment and dragging him through the door and into her bathroom.

"Oh god, I am so sorry, don't panic! I didn't mean to, je suis désolé! I mean I was upset – no, not at you! Just how the night went, dancing and not-dancing and putain de merde _I am not upset enough to purposely break your face_!"

By the time she had made him sit down on the edge of the bathtub, she saw an enormous grin on his face. He looked entirely too amused for someone whose nose had just become very well acquainted with a door.

"Breathe, darling."

After a moment she turned back to him from where she had been standing by the sink after reaching into the cabinet to find the first aid kit she was sure she had seen a little while ago. Somehow Kol had already mopped up the blood with the toilet paper beside him. He stood and lifted the toilet seat, dropping in the bloodied paper and flushed. His nose had already stopped bleeding, but she was sure it had been broken…

"How did it – "

Suddenly he was in front of her. She jolted backwards out of instinct at seeing him move so fast. Before she could react he gently held her face and met her eyes.

" _We went dancing tonight. You weren't great but I taught you and you got a bit better. I was an ass because I was jealous of the other men looking at you, and you told me off viciously in French. We had fun. You brought me back here to drink some iced tea, and now we'll do whatever you want."_

Bea smiled at Kol, feeling a little bit shy. The night had gone so well so far, and she didn't want it to end just yet. Leading him into the kitchen she turned to look at what she had in her apartment at the moment before looking back at him.

"I've got the usual: iced tea, juice, spirits, maybe a combination of sorts. What would you like?"

He smirked at her in a way that made her want to blush and he walked slowly toward her. _Enfer_ , he made her feel like prey sometimes. She was pressed with her back against the counter as he came within inches of her body and leaned over her. Coming even closer, he tilted his head down to meet her much-shorter height.

His lips nearly touched her ear and made her shiver before he whispered, "I'll have the usual."

He stepped back suddenly and Bea realized in his absence that she had begun pursing her lips slightly. What –

In his hand was her bottle of whiskey. She hadn't even notices he had been reaching behind her.

"Oh my god, you complete jerk!"

Kol laughed loudly and dodged the dish towel she threw angrily in his direction but thankfully caught the teacup that followed it.

"Oi! Are you trying to kill me?"

Crossing her arms Bea huffed loudly. She did not enjoy feeling foolish, and he rarely directed his mocking at her so she especially felt its sting.

"Maybe only maim a bit. That was pas été agréable, Kol."

He raised an eyebrow at that and said incredulously, "Have I ever claimed to be 'agréable'?"

Deciding it wasn't worth a spat she followed him to her table after grabbing two glasses as well as some juice, muttering under her breath, "Don't know why I like you so much anyway."

He seemed especially upbeat as he poured his drink and then hers making it just the way she liked it. When she had sat down beside him she relaxed. This was something she was used to – just the two of them lazing about her apartment, drinking and talking.

"So where did you learn to dance?"

Kol smirked a bit and answered, "My brothers were all about _pageantry._ Thought that we should act as refined as our wealth allowed us. So obviously dancing was a part of that."

"You're taking about Nik, right? He completely seems the type to want to flaunt what he has."

Laughing loudly, he looked positively gleeful with her assumption and said, "Right you are. 'Lijah didn't exactly mind though. And Bekah has always been a bit of a princess."

Bea rolled her eyes and interrupted, "Oh shush, you. You know she's your favorite."

He looked a bit taken aback, surprised clearly by what she'd said. "And what makes you say that?"

Embarrassed now at having to admit how closely she watched him, she shrugged and said, "Well whenever you talk about her you start to look fond. Just a tiny bit though, don't worry, your manliness and indifferent persona are fully intact."

"Well that's a relief. Wouldn't want anyone thinking I'd gone soft. I'd have to rip off a few heads to prove them wrong."

A little voice in the back of her head whispered, _you know he isn't joking._

But instead of addressing his answer she brought the conversation back to the subject. A little bit wistfully she said, "My mother was a French ballerina. I have no idea where that grace went wrong in me. I always thought Marie must have leached it away before I was born." Laughing a bit to herself, she turned and saw Kol looking at her with a slight smile.

He leaned across the table and before she could ask what he was doing, he kissed her.

Just like that.

His mouth was soft and she could taste the burn of whiskey on his lips, pressed against hers for only a few short seconds. His hand had come up to cup the back of her neck, and when he pulled away his fingers lingered on her skin.

"I think you turned out just fine."

His quiet voice made her eyes open again – when had she closed them in the first place? – and smile widely, knowing she probably looked like a loon with all of her teeth showing.

"Just fine? Really? You couldn't come up with something better?"

They both leaned back and returned to drinking, but she tipped her chin at him and gave an expectant expression, making it clear that she was expecting an answer. So maybe she was insecure about their relationship, sue her.

"Alright then, I'll give you my best work.

Light of my life, Irish rose of my dawn, my _strawberry blonde_ not-so-sweet Beatrix, your lips taste like sin and sanctuary."

And _oh._ An unfamiliar warmth made her entire body feel tense in the best of ways, like electricity. He was entirely improper. And it was amazing. This was their first date. And Kol had been with so many people from what it sounded like. She didn't want him to think she was just another one of the girls he could throw away…

But she leaned across the table and kissed him again, this time allowing her lips to part just slightly before pulling back.

"Well, Mikaelson, it seems that you're all sin."


	4. Chapter 4

_November, 1910_

She really hadn't meant to say it. Especially not in the middle of an inane fight about him coming to meet her sister. But when he asked _why_ she wanted him to be there when she invited her sister over for dinner in a tone as if it was absurd of her to ask, she had sort of half-yelled, half-blurted it.

"Because I love you, you moron!"

They both froze a beat later and Bea felt a sinking feeling in her stomach when he didn't respond, only looking absolutely stricken.

"No you don't."

And excuse her, but what the hell had he responded with?

True, they had never had a _coup de foudre_ , flash of lightning, love at first sight moment in their relationship, but her feelings were real – maybe even more so because they had grown as she got to know him more.

Growing upset, she felt the tell tale closing of her throat that usually meant she was close to tears. But what right did Kol have to just try to deny what she was feeling? There had always been that fear in her that she was more invested than he was in their relationship, but she hadn't expected it to be this unbalanced between them. It had sure _seemed_ like he cared about her, but now she quickly tried to remember anything he could have done that would signal a lack of true interest.

"Yes, I do. You can't tell me how I feel."

He started pacing quickly, looking panicked and overwhelmed – something she had never seen him. He was raking his hands through his hair, ruining the way it had been styled and he seemed pained when he finally turned to her.

"Bloody hell, Bea, you don't really know me. There is so much… you don't. You just don't."

Now more than a little offended, she bit out, "We've been going steady for almost three months. I know you."

"You don't get it. You – "

"Your favorite color is green, and you get cranky when you've been inside too long. You love your family even if you pretend you don't because they hurt you. You're the only person that I show my paintings to. You – " here her voice cracked, to her complete humiliation, "You eat my cooking. Even when I know its horrible."

Before her eyes teared over he grabbed her shoulders, pulling her into his chest and tucking her under his chin. She sniffed, but kept her face pressed into his chest, not wanting to have to meet his eyes yet.

"But you -"

She interrupted whatever he was going to say and continued in a hushed whisper, the only thing she could manage at the moment. But she had to finish what she was trying to say. If things changed tonight, if he ended whatever they had, she wanted him to know.

"I know you're not the best guy. I know you've done things – really, really bad things. But I love you anyway. If you don't love me back, you don't have to make excuses, please."

For a minute they did nothing but breathe together, her trying to pull herself together and him petting her hair.

When she stepped back she straightened her spine, holding herself upright. Bea was _not_ about to let this reduce her to some sobbing mess in front of him. She had more pride than letting him see how much this was going to kill her. But instead of answering how she expected, he lightly reached out and stroked one side of her face.

"I'm dragging you to hell, Beatrix Lynch."

"I thought you'd know by now that I do not get _dragged_ anywhere. If we're going to hell I'm following you of my own volition."

Without another word he stepped forward and tangled his fingers in her hair as his lips met hers in a kiss that made her feel like she was burning up. Kissing Kol had always been great, but there had been something in him that seemed restrained. But now – this was harsh and hard and amazing.

His lips forced hers apart and his tongue traced where they were parted slowly before licking into her mouth. Her teeth, the roof of her mouth, her own tongue – it seemed like he wanted to thoroughly taste her everywhere. And she was more than willing to give it to him. Heat flooded through her and when he let out a low moan she trembled.

Kissing down her neck, he nipped gently and soothed her skin soon after with soft brushes of his lips. God, he was killing her. She'd never done any of this and though she had always been intimidated by his sexual past, now she was incredibly thankful that he knew what he was doing when she had no idea.

Eventually the frantic nature of their kissing slowed and when he finally pulled back she was panting heavily with lips that tingled.

"I love you, and I wish I didn't so you'd be safe. But I'm selfish. So I want you for as long as you'll have me."

Three days later, Bea smiled and introduced him to Marie.

* * *

 _Present Day_

The sound of her granite counter top giving way beneath her clenched fingers was what prompted her reaction. And _oh_ , did she react.

The scream ripped from her throat was piercing. When she finally took a second breath it quickly became a low sob. Bea couldn't breathe, she couldn't breathe, _she couldn't fucking breathe –_

Tears streamed down her face until her kitchen looked like a blur. With heaving shoulders she continued to vacillate from enraged growls to high pitched whimpers to choking sobs.

 _It wasn't fair._

But only minutes later her the tears stopped falling and her devastation became fury. It had always been easier for her to deal with anger than it was to navigate heartbreak, and if she let herself feel it right now she'd go insane.

The first thing to collide with her walls was that stupid fucking radio that had continued to play throughout her breakdown. Dishes, antiques, and entire cabinets soon joined and from there Bea moved onto destroying the room with her own two hands. Her chairs were reduced to kindling and every mirror shattered as they were thrown to the tile floor with all of her might.

It wasn't enough.

Bea's stride was even and her expression was entirely merciless as she slipped out of her apartment and walked down the hallway to the space occupied by two boys who had recently graduated from college. Mike and Nick? Bryce? They had introduced themselves with impeccable manners the day they moved in.

It was painfully easy to compel the two of them to come into her apartment.

* * *

 _Hello everyone! I would love it if you could let me know what you think so far of Bea, Kol's characterization, etc. Thanks!_


	5. Chapter 5

_January, 1911_

Kol hadn't been by for four days.

Normally this would only be a minor issue. Something that would annoy her, but not cause a fight or anything. But the last few times she had been able to see him had been different. He'd been distant. Detached.

A traitorous thought had entered her mind recently, but now it seemed to never leave her head.

 _Am I not enough?_

Realistically she knew that they were good together for the most part. And she knew that he didn't open himself up to people other then her. Ever. From the emotional standpoint they were doing great. He knew her better than anyone else ever had, and she suspected that it was similar in his case as well. They loved each other.

But she was worried about the physical part. Because there really _wasn't_ a physical part. They kissed constantly, but she hadn't been comfortable with letting him get much farther than feeling her chest. Both of them had stripped off their shirts and he had once used his mouth on her chest in a way that made her head spin, but any farther than that was usually when she froze up.

Her parents had always raised her to be the perfect lady. When she was alive her mother had always insisted that she act properly, perfecting her manners and etiquette. They'd groomed her so that she would marry into the high society and play her part as a human doll. Now with her father's drunkenness and subsequent estrangement he didn't have any say in how she lived her life, but one thing they had told her since she was young had stuck:

 _Do not lay with a man before marriage, or you'll be ruined in the eyes of men and God._

She wanted to make Kol happy, and she thought that being with him that way might even make _her_ happy, but that often repeated line would play in her mind and immediately put an end to whatever feelings she'd been experiencing. She didn't even know if she believed in God, and questioned why he would care about a single random French-Irish girl's virginity if he _did_ exist, but she couldn't stop the bouts of nerves.

He was used to sex. He'd had it often enough before they'd begun going steady, and now she feared that he continued to regularly have sex - just not with her. She could see it in his eyes every time he told her that he loved her that he meant it. But you didn't have to love someone to have sex with them.

The last time he'd come to see her, she was pretty sure she could the remnants of red lipstick on the corner of his mouth. She hadn't kissed him that night.

* * *

 _February, 1911_

"I have to tell you something."

Those words made Bea completely freeze. So this was the night he was breaking things off. Alright. She'd been preparing for this for a while. And the moment she'd let him in the door tonight she had known something was different. He was nervous. Of course it wasn't obvious, but the quick way his dark eyes scanned the room gave it away.

"I don't really know how to begin –"

Cutting him off, she said quietly but firmly, "When did it start?"

He looked a little confused and suddenly sidetracked from what was clearly a rehearsed speech.

"When did what start?"

Now annoyed and already stressed on top of that, Bea narrowed her eyes and said in a derisive tone, "When did you start seeing other women?"

His eyes widened almost comically and he looked incredulous, but she wasn't going to let him break off their relationship without admitting to his trysts first. She deserved the truth.

"What the hell are you talking about? I haven't been seeing any other bloody women? Are you daft?"

"Don't play at being dumb, Kol. We hardly see one another anymore, and on the rare occasion you do come by you seem to look at me like we're _étrangers_. Obviously we haven't gone all the way, but if you were unhappy with our relationship-"

He snorted in response to that, which made her see red, but before she could start shrieking at him he shook his head and let out an exasperated sigh. It did not calm her down in _any way whatsoever._

"You've got it all wrong. I've been trying to think of a way to tell you something. I'm not off having sex with other women."

"Oh really. So you have something so important to tell me that you've been avoiding me for weeks, coming here at strange hours, and smelling like other women's perfume?"

"Well… yes."

"Then do dépêchez-vous and get the fucking message across, because I truly, honestly am at the end of my rope, Kol."

Two hours and two thirds a handle of vodka later she had her answer.

"So, vampires."

"Yes."

"They are just… something. That's out there. And you're one thousand years old."

"You've got it."

"Huh."

They sat in silence at her kitchen table, a mocking imitation of all of the other nights they had spent doing the very same thing. She reached toward the bottle in the center of the table and poured the last of it into her glass, throwing it back with a grimace.

"Well my brother in law is a warlock. Magic exists. I probably should have looked into whether or not there was anything else out there."

Kol shrugged and said in a falsely light tone, "Not sure if he knows. He was taught magical parlor tricks by family, not a proper coven. Hasn't figured out what I am and sells me artifacts for a tenth of what they're worth."

Like an absentminded reflex, she flicked his forearm and said, "Ass."

He quirked his lips into an amused smile.

"You understand you just flicked the most powerful being in the world, correct?"

Bea just shook her head dismissively and waved in his direction.

"No jokes. Not yet. Still processing."

He let her sit in silence as she thought over all that he had told her. He was one thousand years old. The story was too intricate for it to be made up. He and his family were turned into monsters by their very own mère. Kol had killed people. It was something she had considered him having done what with the remarks he sometimes made. But for that number to be in the thousands? The hundred-thousands?

Of _course_ her first relationship was with a vampire.

For some reason she blurted out the first real thought she could grasp onto in a rush of air, "Have you heard me when I mutter under my breath the entire time we've known one another?"

He nodded but didn't speak, continuing to let her come to terms with the news at her own pace. It was after deliberating for another minute or two that she finally met his eyes and said in a calm voice, "We're going to have to work on honesty in this relationship, Monsieur Mikaelson."

He visibly stiffened and then forced himself to relax. His expression was the strangest cross between hopeful and scared.

"You still want to be with me?"

She nodded slowly, thinking it over herself before replying, "Yes. I do. If you stop avoiding me and treating me like a leper."

He laughed incredulously, clearly disbelieving, and said in a patronizing tone, "You understand I'm a murderer? I don't just kill to eat, I love it. I _crave_ the chaos and destruction. I see humans – most, anyway- as beneath me. And you aren't running. Are you _actually_ mental?"

Bea had to steel herself. She knew what he was doing. He always tested her in a roundabout way, pushing to see how far he could go until she snapped. He'd expected her to revile him, so now he was trying to make that happen.

"You've never asked me to change. I know that I swear like a ruffian and sometimes go off in another language. I'm too brash for a woman. Too loud, sarcastic, mean – I'm too _much_ for most people. You accept me and love me anyway. So I'm going to try to do the same for you."

The movement in the room that followed her statement was so sudden. So fast that her inebriated mind literally couldn't process what had happened for a moment as her stomach lurched. But then it hit her.

Kol had picked her up and moved her, and was now pinning her to the kitchen wall with his body, his hand loosely wrapped around her throat.

"Don't you GET IT? I smell you, and you are a meal to me. I want to tear into your flesh and drain you dry. I could flick my wrist and wrench your head from your neck."

His voice had wavered, and the fingers gently held against her throat were shaking. Kol was nervous, maybe even scared. He was expecting that she'd leave. That is exactly what she knew she _should_ do.

She was scared. So, so terrified. But this was _Kol._ So she slowly lifted her own hand and laid it over his.

"Would you, though?"

He didn't answer her. Instead he pulled his hand away from her neck and propped it just next to her head. Only inches away, she could see every emotion pass across his face. Finally he settled on looking plain exhausted. He leaned forward and when his lips ghosted along her neck she couldn't stop her shiver of fear.

However, he simply pressed his lips firmly where her pulse had to be racing once before tilting his face back to press his forehead against hers. His eyes were closed and his voice was only just more than a whisper when he replied, "No. I don't know why you're different. But I swear I will _never_ hurt you. I'd kill anyone who tried."

Bea surged forward, sealing her mouth over his. She could almost imagine the taste of blood in his mouth, salt and rust, but she shoved her tongue between his lips anyway. Kol was here, he wasn't breaking things off with her, and he still loved her.

Right in this moment, it was enough.


	6. Chapter 6

_April, 1911_

"Did you know _Mark_ had to be the one to tell me it was your birthday? I stopped by the store and he said you'd be home. I looked like a complete prat."

Bea lifted her head from where it had been buried in her pillow. Her room had been dark and warm and now everything was blurry and _too damn bright._

She groaned and pulled her covers over her head before whining, "No, no, no. Foutre le camp. Too early. 'M sleeping."

However if Kol was anything it was persistent, so a moment later the blanket was ripped away from her. She sat up, crossing her arms and glaring at him as he triumphantly stood over her.

"Now. Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?"

She sighed, realizing that he was more bothered by this than she'd thought he would be, so she answered, "You'd said you'd be out of town for most of this week. If you weren't going to be here anyway I didn't see the point in telling you."

He rolled his eyes and said offhandedly, "Well obviously I'd have rescheduled if I knew. You're more important than some errands, and now I don't have the time to buy you those new oil paints and brushes you've been talking about."

A warmth flooded through her and based on the way he was now eying her she knew she must be red. Feeling incredibly fond, she scooted until she was at the end of her bed before rising onto her knees. Once she was nearly eye level with him, she leaned forward and pecked his cheek.

"We can do something later then. I have the day off from work, so I'm going back to sleep. Go eat someone and come back after I've gotten some more rest."

Kol saluted her and gave her covers back, leaving quickly after turning off the light and having clearly realized he wouldn't be getting any coherent conversation with her when she was still half-asleep.

Things had been better between them since he'd revealed what he was. There weren't any more secret meetings he had to rush off to get to and he was much more free with his affection. Though it had taken a few weeks, now she considered his diet just another part of who he was. He'd shown her his fangs when she'd asked to see them.

She'd even watched him drain a man a few days ago.

That night had been… dark.

When they had gone to the bar she knew how the night would end. Kol was by all definitions a monster, a creature usually bound to the shadows that old wives tales were told of. But he was _hers._ So when he had begun walking toward a pretty blonde that had been eying him she pulled him back and whispered that she wanted to pick someone out for him.

It had only taken her dancing with an overly forward man and a quiet suggestion to meet her in the alley for his next meal to begin.

He'd used the eye contact thing he'd told her about to make the stranger keep quiet, but she knew the man had to have been in pain. When Kol had finally finished and the man slumped to the ground, red streaks was leaking from the corners of his mouth and veins were black beneath his eyes.

Bea had only stroked his face in fascination and carefully wiped away the blood with her thumbs.

She'd always been pragmatic. She loved fiercely, yes, but she loved few. And in that moment she knew that she would march an army of people to death's doorstep if it kept Kol fed and happy, because if the situation were reversed she had no doubt he'd do the same. God, to know that such a powerful person – someone capable of so many inhuman things – would bend to her will… it was intoxicating.

When had she turned so dark? Turned her back on the human race for the man in front of her?

She let those questions swirl in her mind for only a minute before she fell back asleep, safe in her own bed.

* * *

Bea woke up slowly the second time. A rustle of fabric, a slight shift in position – gentle things made her slowly surface from her dream. When she felt the warmth coming off of the person next to her she shuffled over, throwing an arm over them and drifting off again. It was Kol whispering in her ear that made her fully open her eyes.

"You're drooling. And you snore."

She swatted at him with the hand laying across him already. Wiping her mouth and finding nothing there, she then propped her chin up on his chest, narrowing her eyes at him and saying, "Can't all be pretty like you."

He only smirked in response, not moving from where he was stretched out on her bed over the covers, arms crossed behind his head and looking entirely too put together. Deciding that he deserved to look a little more ruffled up, she began dancing her fingers across his collarbone and upper arms before she leaned forward and gently kissed his neck.

"What are you doing?"

Smiling against the curve of his shoulder, she continued dragging her lips lightly across his skin.

"Nothing," she said in an innocent voice, "why? Something wrong?"

After another minute of her teasing him he began running his fingers through her hair and lightly scratching her scalp just the way she liked. Sighing, Bea gave up and nuzzled into the crook of his neck.

In a politely conversational tone he remarked, "If you don't stop that soon I'm going to pin you to the bed and have my way with you."

She couldn't hold back the harsh intake of breath, images of skin sliding against skin and lips against her body rushing through her mind unbidden. Kol laughed loudly and sat up, getting off the bed and stretching his arms over his head.

"We best get the day started. I've got a bit planned for you and its already noon. But I'm _definitely_ cataloguing that reaction for later."

Bea rolled out of bed herself, yawning but shuffling toward the kitchen. He followed closely behind her, pulling orange juice from the ice box and pouring them both a glass while she began turning on her stove to cook some eggs.

He leaned against the counter in silence, sipping his drink and watching her as she prepared her brunch. When she finished and sat down at the table she looked up at him before asking, "So what is on the itinerary for today?"

"Well first we're going to shop. You need a new dress for tonight when I take you out for dinner on the town. After that I'll take you to the art store and you can pick out whatever it is you're low on."

She smiled widely, more than happy with that plan as she washed and dried her plate and pan, wandering over to him to quickly peck him and wrap her arms around him.

"Thank you. It sounds good. Now I have to go get dolled up and put on my human disguise."

He snorted and kissed her more deeply, letting her turn away before lightly smacking her behind when she started toward her room to get dressed. She let out an embarrassing yelp but didn't bother turning around to glare, knowing he was probably grinning like the cocky moron she knew.

After she cleaned her teeth she went about getting dressed, darkening her lashes, and applying some red rouge to her lips. She emerged ten minutes later, finding Kol leafing through one of the books she kept on the small bookshelf in her den.

He glanced up and looked her over with an appreciative expression. Satisfied with his reaction, Bea nodded toward the door.

"Ready to go? I haven't been shopping in weeks."

* * *

They wound up crowded together in a single dressing room, their bodies pressing together tightly while Bea harshly sucked on his neck and let her red lipstick smear only just above his collar.

When she finally pulled away he captured her lips immediately, nipping her bottom lip before running his tongue over it slowly. He pushed her against the full sized mirror in the small room, grinding his hips against her and letting her feel that he was quickly becoming aroused.

She pulled away finally to catch her breath, chest heaving and legs feeling weak at the reaction she had gotten from him. Kol looked over her shoulder, saw his reflection, then snickered and looked back at her entirely amused.

"It looks like you took a bite out of me."

Bea looked at him and assessed the smeared kiss mark she had left on him before nodding to herself, entirely satisfied with her results. She let out a low hum of agreement and met his eyes with a fierce expression.

"I didn't like the way those saleswomen were looking at you. Like they were waiting for me to leave you alone so they could pounce."

Kol laughed loudly and looked positively gleeful with her explanation.

"You're _jealous._ I like it."

"Damn straight I am. It doesn't matter though. You're mine, and they should know it."

He nodded slightly and said quietly, "Yes. I am," before he lost his serious expression to lift an eyebrow and say mockingly, "I am very fond of the possessive streak as well. Thought I should let you know."

She smirked, leaning up to peck him once more and wipe the errant lipstick from both of their faces before she whispered, "Takes one to know one, mon amour."


	7. Chapter 7

Warning: This chapter contains an adult scene. It isn't overly vulgar or explicit, but if you would prefer not to read it you can skip to the last section.

* * *

 _April, 1911 - Continued_

When they had finally make it back to her apartment that night after their evening on the town, Bea only just managed to close the door behind her before Kol shoved her against it and kissed her.

His bent down and when his hands moved to the back of her thighs she hopped up, wrapping her legs around his waist. Her arms tightened around his neck and he pressed her harder against the wall behind her until she couldn't tell whether it was the press of his body or his drugging kisses that made her lightheaded.

When she felt herself moving away from the wall she pulled back from him and opened her eyes. Before she could ask what he was doing, Kol sped them to her bedroom and dropped her onto the bed. It only took seconds for him to cover her body with his own, and their lips met once again.

She usually didn't let them get this far, but when his thigh slipped between her legs and _rubbed_ against the apex of her thighs she let out a strangled gasp. He began rutting against her, but when he suddenly pulled back and propped himself up on his elbows, Bea felt a questioning look cover her face.

"Is everything alr-"

"Can I taste you?"

The question made her freeze up, mind racing as she thought over the possibility. In truth she was scared. She'd seen him drink from people before and the crunching sound of his teeth puncturing skin was something hard to forget.

When she finally was able to string her words together her voice only shook slightly when she said, "Will it hurt?"

A smile spread across Kol's face. It was slow and predatory and hungry, but not in the way she had expected.

"No, darling, not like that. I don't want to taste your _blood_."

Now confused, Bea sat up slightly and asked, "What do you mean then?"

Instead of answering her he leaned forward to gently press a kiss to her lips, a far cry from the biting kisses they had been exchanging only moments ago.

"Lay back."

Still not understanding quite what he meant, she decided to humor his command anyway and did as he told. He made his way down her body and when he reached the bottom of her dress she began shifting nervously.

"I don't think I'm ready."

An uncharacteristically soft smile covered his face and his voice was low and soothing when he responded, "I know. This won't affect your virginity at all, I promise. I just want to make you feel good. Can you trust me to do that?"

She gave him a quick nod and tried not to move around when he began pushing the hem of her dress up her thighs, exposing her undergarments. Sensing that she had gone still, Kol began rubbing his thumbs lightly against her hipbones until once again her muscles relaxed and she let out a sigh.

The drag of her last layer down her legs felt like it took years, and Bea instinctively pressed her knees together, feeling embarrassed at being so exposed to another person. But when Kol began caressing her ankles with the tips of his fingers, slowly making his way upwards, she spread her legs and bent her knees to accommodate him as he gently maneuvered her body.

It was when he propped her thighs over his shoulders that she finally spoke with a high pitched tone.

"What on earth are you d-"

The first drag of his tongue against her cut off her question. She let out a squeak and her right knee reflexively kicked out in a spasm. A strained laugh made its way out of her throat.

"Kol, that tickles."

He didn't stop however, continuing to lick at her with a flattened tongue. Quickly the tickling sensation ended, and an entirely new one replaced it. The warm, new feeling began to blossom in her stomach, and when his tongue probed at the small bundle of nerves near the top of her center her pelvis jolted upward unthinkingly. It felt like her muscles were quivering - tightening randomly without her consent. He reached his arms under and around her legs, holding them still as her hips began twitching against him.

Her breath hitched and she began twisting her hands in her sheets, struggling to find something to hold onto, something to ground her as he relentlessly mapped her out with a wickedly talented mouth. Finally she reached over her head and grasped her pillow tightly, clamping her lips together to keep from shouting but letting out a high whine in her throat.

Just when Bea was about to shove her pillow over her face to quell the noises that were escaping her lips, he pulled away. His lips ghosted against her inner thigh and she had to strain to hear the quiet words he murmured against her skin.

"Now don't do that. I want to hear the sounds you make."

She nodded frantically, willing to do anything in that moment to get his mouth back on her. It was when he pressed closer than ever and licked his tongue _into_ her that the dam broke and she let out a wail.

Not holding back at all, she bucked against his grip and fisted her hands in his hair, tugging on it in a way that he seemed to like if his answering groan was any indication. And oh did that groan vibrate through her, causing a harsh exhale to force itself from her lungs.

She couldn't control the babbling stream of words that flew from her mouth as minutes passed. Much of it was profanity and pleading for him to not stop whatever magic he was working in both English and French. But it was most often his name dropping from her lips like a prayer, and as she felt like she was reaching a crescendo she moaned out praises like he was holy.

It was terrifying, not knowing what was happening inside her body as she felt the building feeling suddenly engulf her. But when she started to whimper and convulse, choking on the air that was escaping her throat in a shout, Kol hummed against her and ran a soothing hand across the jumping muscles of her stomach.

The shaking finally subsided and Bea slumped onto her bed, panting and feeling wonderfully boneless. When she glanced down toward her legs, unable to move her head just yet, Kol was smirking, licking at his lips before wiping the excess fluid from his mouth with the back of his hand. Instead of feeling disgust or humiliation like perhaps a lady should, she smiled widely in wonder at him.

"You taste delicious, Miss Lynch."

Still breathless, her voice came out sounding incredibly hoarse when she said, "Thank you. I think."

"Oh, it was definitely a compliment."

He moved up the bed until he was laying beside her. It suddenly struck her that he was fully clothed still, and her dress hadn't even been removed. Aware of the image she must have presented, Bea smoothed down her dress until the hem once again reached her knees before turning on her side and cuddling up to Kol.

He ran his fingers through her now sweaty hair and they laid in a comfortable silence for a few minutes as she tried to catch her breath and process what had happened. Had that been wrong? They hadn't had sex, and her virtue was still intact, but she wondered anyway what people would think if they knew what she had done with a man she wasn't married to -

"You're thinking too much."

And yes, she was, so Bea let her worries go for the time being, focusing on the man beside her who had made her feel like nothing she had ever even imagined.

"You played my body like it was an instrument. That was… that was amazing."

She could feel the smile on his lips as he pressed them to her forehead and whispered in a suggestive voice, "And what a melody you made. My very own symphony."

She grinned and laughed lightly before throwing her arm around him and tangling their legs together. However when her thigh moved over his legs she realized he was hard. Sleepy, but not wanting to be unfair or rude she yawned and on the exhale said, "Do you want me to do something about that? I don't really know what-"

Kol cut her off by pressing his lips to hers and when they pulled apart shrugged and said, "Not this time. But we can do lots of things that can make us both feel good without you losing your virginity."

Drifting off already while still dressed, Bea nodded against his chest and mumbled, "Sounds like a plan. Love you."

She was already asleep when he whispered into her hair, "I love you, too. Happy twenty-first birthday."

* * *

 _Present Day_

Bea barely registered the creak of the door opening, entirely blood drunk and whiskey tipsy as she was. Instead she continued to stare up at the boy whose lap her head was currently laying on. He had been an exceptional listener thus far after being compelled to be silent. Most of the other man's body was cast aside a few feet to the left, entirely drained, but this one still had another five minutes or so before he bled out by her estimate.

" – You see, he was so wonderful. _So wonderful._ If he were here he probably would have torn right into you. But - but he would have let _me_ go first. Such a gentleman-"

"I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that something made you upset."

Bea lurched up and smiled widely, feeling the slight stretch of the dried blood covering her lips and face.

"Rigby! You're home! And if you want a limb there's a few over there!"

Bea turned to see if Boy Number Two appreciated her joke, but he seemed to have died already. Spoilsport.

Looking back at her best friend, she saw Rigby quickly but quietly close the door before calmly surveying their apartment, clearly mentally cataloging the damage.

"You haven't binged this bad in a decade. We're going to have to burn it down. What's wrong?"

All traces of humor suddenly left Bea. Tearing into the humans had calmed her mind a bit, allowed her to distance herself from her more rational side and all of the emotions that entailed. But now as it all came back it was nearly overwhelming once more. She cleared her throat twice and rose unsteadily to her feet before speaking.

Trying to keep her voice even, she said quietly, "Those first five years. I – I got them back."

Rigby's eyes widened and she moved to her with supernatural speed before embracing her tightly. After holding her for a moment she stepped back.

"Jesus Christ, Lynch. You remember everything? Is that what caused this?"

It was only after hearing those words that she broke down once more, any small bit of calmness she'd found fleeing. She was quickly pulled back into a hug and her tears fell heavily onto the shoulder of the other woman's sweater. Rigby was making soft soothing noises and seemed to hold her even closer – Bea rarely cried, and her behavior now was sure to be an indicator that something was very seriously off.

In between heaving sobs she finally choked out, "It's Mikaelson. That's my – my name is Beatrix Mikaelson."

* * *

Hello loves, if you have a spare moment I'd love to hear what you think so far. Cheers


	8. Chapter 8

_October, 1911_

The question had honestly surprised her. Maybe it shouldn't have – after all, early on in their friendship they used to talk about their future plans and whatnot. Bea had told Kol honestly when he had mentioned it a year ago that yes, she did eventually plan to marry.

But god, it seemed like the _very last thing_ Kol would ever want to do, especially with a human. So when he had presented her with a ring and asked for her hand she had gaped for a moment before whispering out a quiet, "No."

Of course he hadn't given her a chance to explain herself, instead storming out and looking positively devastated. But how could she do that to him? Let him bind himself in a way he never wanted to just because he wanted to make her happy?

That had been hours ago, and she hadn't moved from her position of sitting on the edge of her bed. Her face was buried in her hands though her tears had long since dried up. She was absolutely fucking exhausted, and now would have to picture her life without Kol in it.

It was impossible to do. Kol was her – well, he was her _everything_. What she wanted to wake up to, the person she wanted to gossip with about the strange customers who came to the store, the one whose lips pressed against hers made everything else in the world seem inconsequential. It seemed true to Bea now more than ever that " _l'amour fait les plus grandes douceurs et les plus sensibles infortunes de la vie."_

 _Love is responsible for the greatest pleasures and the worst problems in life._

She refused to allow him to compromise his own happiness in an attempt to fulfill some need of hers that had faded away long ago. The moment she decided to stay with her vampire lover she had given up on the flimsy outline of a future she hadn't been all that committed to anyway.

When the door banged open Bea let out a shrill shriek that was honestly rather embarrassing to be coming out of a grown woman.

Ironically enough the sight of Kol standing in front of her, disheveled and with a shirt splattered with what must have been a pint of blood, was an enormous comfort. His face was unreadable and she immediately knew that she would have to make the first move, and quickly.

Standing up, she lurched forward and gripped his hands in hers, squeezing tightly in an attempt to keep him from leaving, though she knew realistically he could break her hold with nothing more than a twitch of his wrists.

"Please. Please don't go. Let me explain, I have to explain."

For a moment she thought that he wouldn't listen, that he would turn around and leave her, never returning again. But something in her voice must have made him rethink his instincts, so he sighed and walked toward the kitchen, dragging her behind him and seating them both at the table.

Bea opened her mouth to speak, but Kol briskly cut her off, speaking in an annoyed and exasperated tone.

"You aren't the only one, you know."

She was confused. Vague was not usually his thing. In fact, Kol was blunt to the point of being an asshole most of the time and she often had to apologize for him in public, something he found greatly amusing.

"What do you mean?"

"You aren't the only one in this relationship. Or the only one in love, or the only one who wants this to last."

"I know that, Kol. It's just… you don't want to get married. And I don't want to force you into anything. I know you want to make me happy, but making _yourself_ miserable isn't going to help anyone."

He snorted and rolled his eyes at her, but looked entirely too fond for the heaviness of this conversation. Bea wasn't sure what was happening. He had stormed out, and obviously he was going to end their relationship after her refusal, but it didn't _seem_ like he was angry or upset.

"As if you could force me into anything. Are you really that daft?"

Alright. Now she was the one getting pissed off.

" _Excusez-moi_?"

"I asked if you were daft. You very well might be if you think the only reason I asked you to marry me was because I thought it was what you wanted. And here I thought I had been with an intelligent woman."

She didn't know quite how to respond, but a warm bud of hope was beginning to bloom in her chest unbidden. She tried to squash it, not wanting to begin to yearn for something only for it to be destroyed.

"So why else did you?" she asked in a cautiously probing voice.

Kol raised his eyebrows at her and looked incredulous but simultaneously amused. He smiled slightly and said, "I think I need to make myself a bit more clear."

Before Bea could react in any way, he reached across the table, lightly grabbed her face, and began kissing her deeply. She parted her lips nearly immediately, letting out a sigh as she did. They continued kissing for another minute or two, tongues caressing one another and short bites on lips breaking the pattern.

When he pulled away she was panting and even his breath was coming a bit more quickly than usual. His face was only inches away from her when he began talking firmly.

"I didn't ask you to marry me just because I want to make you happy. Yes, I didn't ever want to get married, but I can make an exception for you.I'm bloody possessive and I want every man and woman who sees you to know that you're mine in every way, and they can't have you. I love you, Bea. So don't be such a bint."

Of course that was how he chose to end what was probably the most romantic declaration he had ever made. But it didn't matter to her. So she smiled widely and whispered out a hoarse, "Alright then. Yes."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you Beatrix. That wasn't very enthusiastic if I'm being entirely honest."

He was such an immature little shit. Huffing loudly but with a wave of delirious happiness beginning to build up in her, Bea got up from her seat and kneeled beside where he was sitting in his chair, mimicking the position he had been in just hours ago.

"I, Beatrix Elizabeth Lynch, would very much be honored to accept your earlier proposal to bind myself to you, Kol Mikaelson, la lumière de mon cœur and love of my life, in holy matrimony so that I might become Mrs. Beatrix Mikaelson."

It was obvious that he tried to remain smug looking or teasing, but Kol's face split into a huge grin and he pulled her up into his lap so that she straddled his thighs.

"Well. I guess that could be arranged."

The blood on his clothes began seeping into her own dress and he slipped the ring onto the ring finger of her left hand after pulling it from his pocket. They had so much to talk about. It would probably be wise to act like adults – have a mature discussion about their future together and how it would work out. Discuss the _enormous_ elephant in the room of her humanity and the fact that he had never directly mentioned turning her before.

But Kol and Bea weren't the pinnacle of wisdom and maturity.

So instead they pressed their lips together again, their kissing reduced to an awkward collision of teeth around their smiles.

Besides, she'd noticed that the engagement ring featured lapis lazuli stones on either side of the diamond.


	9. Chapter 9

_November, 1911_

Kol hadn't had to bring it up. It was actually Bea who had turned to him one morning and said, "I think I'd be alright with you trying my blood."

He had sputtered and the coffee he'd been drinking wound up on the front of his shirt. It was rare that Kol was caught off guard or looked foolish on accident, so Bea had committed the image in front of her to memory as she tried to smother her laughing.

But now that it was actually happening she was decidedly less carefree.

"You know you don't have to do this, right? I'm not going to hold you to anything, darling."

Bea nodded though, nervous but sure. The more she had thought about it, the more the idea intrigued her. He had told her all about the feeding process, as well as the healing quality of his own blood and its ability to turn others into vampires. She'd begun to find the idea sort of heady – a part of her being inside of him, sustaining him. Being together on such a primal, physical level.

"I know. I want to."

He gently tilted her chin up to meet his eyes, trying to make sure that she wasn't lying to him. He'd gotten pretty good at reading her, but eye contact always made him absolutely sure it seemed when it came to calling her out on her bullshit.

"Alright then. How do you want to do this? It's all up to you."

Bea steeled herself, feeling a little more confidant as she explained the vague plan she'd began forming in her mind last week when the idea had occurred to her for the first time.

"Well I think I'd like to do it on my bed. Sitting down. And I want to use a knife or razor – they won't hurt as much as your teeth, they're much blunter."

Kol looked like he was agreeing with everything she'd said so far, and the question he asked next was one she had been sort of hoping he would, "And would you like some of my blood after to heal you?"

God, it was weird what made her embarrassed or shy. He had seen _all_ of her, and he'd taught her ways that she could bring him the same pleasure he gave her with her own hands and mouth – something she loved doing now, but the idea of drinking some of his blood had her ducking her head to avoid his gaze.

"If you don't mind, oui."

His laughing was loud and bright, mood obviously upbeat with what was going to happen this afternoon. Though he hadn't asked Bea had been fairly sure that tasting her blood was something he really wanted to do, but wasn't going to ask for fear of her throwing a fit.

There wasn't much fanfare around it. They simply walked into her bedroom and kneeled on her comforter while facing one another. Swiftly she removed the bracelet filled with vervain that he had given her a month ago from her left wrist, deciding that it was the location she was most comfortable with him drinking from. She was the one to drag the razor across her wrist, wincing and letting out a whimper while she tried to stifle her response. Kol kissed the spot just beside the deep slit gently before moving an inch to the right and covering the wound with his mouth.

His shift into his vampire face was instantaneous and for the first time Bea saw perfectly clearly in the light what happened when he changed. The whites of his eyes darkened to a deep red, nearly as dark as the brown of his irises and the black veins that spread out beneath them looked like the roots of a tree to her. She could feel his fangs on her wrist, pressing against but not shredding her skin.

After a minute she began to feel the slightest bit lightheaded, though it might have just been a reaction to the bizarre pulling sensation that the suction of his mouth made rather than blood loss. Regardless, when she opened her mouth to ask him to pull away he seemed to anticipate her words and did just that. The blood continued to flow from the cut but it was much more sluggish than the initial river of red.

Immediately he lifted his own wrist to his fangs and bit down, holding it out to her in an offer that was almost surreal when she thought about it. She was about to ingest one thousand year old vampire blood.

On second thought, she should probably do her best to avoid thinking about it.

Bea met his eyes when she first licked against his skin, and Kol's expression was predatory. Not in the hungry way he looked at those he fed on, but the look he gave her when she trailed her fingers across his skin in a slow tease.

Instead of feeling like prey, however, it only made a hunger of her own rise inside of her. She gripped his forearm tightly in a manner that clearly told him she wanted him to stay put, and covered the bite mark he had left with her own teeth. When she sunk her own dull human teeth into the bloody indents no doubt causing a small burst of pain, Kol let out an absolutely improper groan.

Her eyes closed against her will and she took a mouthful of his blood before quickly swallowing it down. She'd tasted blood before from biting her own tongue and on one occasion splitting her lip, but his was different. It was slightly colder, for one thing, and just a touch sweeter than the salty iron she'd been expecting.

After another mouthful Bea made herself open her eyes and pull away. She felt the extra blood smeared across her face and looked in wonder to her wrist where her wound had sealed itself shut, understanding truly that vampirism was something magical. When Kol's eyes met hers, she almost startled. She'd never seen him wear the expression he had on now.

A combination of love, excitement, and pride was splayed across his face. His next words however, made it incredibly clear why he wore that look.

"You're perfect, love. You are going to be a _magnificent_ vampire."

Sitting back on her knees, Bea tossed her hair back and let out a haughty sound of agreement. Without a moment's pause she responded to his compliment with the words that to the both of them seemed like the obvious and inevitable answer to a question that never had to be spoken aloud.

"I really am, aren't I?" 

* * *

_Present Day_

Neither woman spoke as they looked up at the burning apartment complex from where they stood in the parking lot. They had packed up anything of value or sentiment as quickly as they could and had already compelled the landlord to believe that they had moved out weeks ago - there was no more to be done before they left. Packing had taken only minutes; the majority of their belongings remained year-round in the house they owned in North Carolina.

But Bea could tell that Rigby was already growing anxious based on the way she had yet to stop fidgeting. Bea had given her only the most basic description of the five years she had been compelled to forget by her _fucking brother-in-law_ before insisting that they proceed with the necessary act of arson immediately.

In continued silence Bea unlocked their car and loaded the suitcases into the trunk, quickly moving around the side before sliding into the driver's seat.

Rigby approached the passenger door slowly, in a way that Bea would categorize as cautious, before gingerly settling in her own seat and propping her feet on the dashboard.

"So what's the plan?"

Bea turned the key and backed out of the parking lot, waiting until the pulled onto the road to answer her best friend.

"We have to reach out to Slater. If we can't get a hold of him, then contact whoever the hell we know that is anywhere near that connected in the supernatural world."

Rigby let out a considering hum in response and reached into the pocket of her jeans to pull out her phone, scrolling through the contacts.

"I still have Slater's number but its from a few years ago - the paranoid fucker changes his contact info way too often. We might as well try it anyway. If he doesn't pull through we can visit Juliette in New York, she has friends in high places. Mind telling me why we're digging through old connections?"

Bea let a slow, sarcastic grin cover her face before reaching to turn on the radio to a horrid, chart topping pop song.

"We have to find out the last place the Originals were seen, and what they have been up to the last few decades."

As soon as Bea had finished speaking the other woman immediately whipped her head to stare at her with a mixture of amusement and bafflement.

"Our scavenger hunt ends with confronting the oldest goddamn vampires in the world?"

"Mhm. We have to find them and by extension find my husband, Kol, who is being carted around with them while neutralized in a coffin."

Rigby let out a low whistle and laughed when she said, "Unexpectedly cliché moves from the multi-millennials."

Bea found herself laughing along, genuine mirth covering up the storm of extreme emotions that had been plaguing her non stop for the last few hours.

Bea turned to her best friend, and a surge of extreme gratefulness and appreciation overtook her. She could never, ever regret turning Rigby. "No time to lose, doll face. We have blood to spill and chaos to spread."

Rigby smirked and let out a low laugh before she responded lightly, "Well it is what we do best. The big, bad Originals won't know what hit them."


	10. Chapter 10

_December, 1911_

"Sweetheart, if you don't stop moving I will very literally stab you with this paintbrush between your fourth and fifth rib."

Kol let out a snort from where he was laying on his stomach below Bea, but only a moment later once more started squirming.

Bea let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back. She was straddling Kol's tailbone and couldn't exactly blame him for his ticklishness. He was doing her a bit of a favor at the moment, and to be honest it was _immensely_ entertaining to see him so out of sorts.

"You are enjoying this far too much, darling. Here I am, being such a devoted fiancé, and you do nothing but mock me. How utterly evil."

Bea laughed and leaned down to quickly peck him on the side of his neck, avoiding the paint coating his shoulders. An anatomy textbook was opened beside them on the bed to a page detailing the muscles of the human back, so she had asked Kol to lay down and let her attempt to label them on his own body.

Maneuvering carefully, she lifted herself up and off of him to grab another jar of paint from the desk in her bedroom. When she turned back around she saw that Kol had dozed off with an expression of complete contentment.

Bea immediately felt a smile cover her face. She never would have imagined that a person could love this much. It was all consuming – the love she felt for Kol had become a part of her very identity.

Bea set the paint down on the desk once more and walked back over to the bed, curling up beside Kol. Still sleeping, he let out a low groan and threw his arm over her, pulling her into his side. Just moments later her mind became hazy as his body heat warmed her and she drifted off into a light sleep in his arms.

What could have been minutes or hours later Bea awoke to the feeling of Kol's lips ghosting the side of her neck while his fingers aimlessly traced her lower stomach. They had both moved to their sides in their sleep and her back was pressed tightly to his front.

Bea wasn't entirely awake just yet, but regardless reached down and laced their fingers together.

Kol let out a low hum and nuzzled into the crook of her scarred shoulder before he said in a mockingly serious tone, "Your bedspread is very likely ruined."

She laughed in response and pulled away from his embrace to prop herself up on her elbows. When she looked over to his other side she saw her blankets were indeed covered in black paint but was surprised to see her anatomy book undisturbed and still open to the same page.

For a moment Bea was silent as her thoughts whirled about. There had been an idea eating at her for the last two weeks and she didn't know how to bring it up. She supposed now was as good a time as any.

"I think I'd like to attend university after I've become a vampire."

Kol turned his head to look at her, a surprised expression on his face. Bea knew that Kol had grown up in a time when women were not equal to men, and she was nervous to see how he would respond to the dream she had been contemplating recently. His tone didn't betray his thoughts when he asked, "Really?"

Bea started speaking quickly, trying to explain herself as soon as she could.

"Its just that women are gaining more and more rights everyday. In a few decades I hope that women will be able to attend university. I think someday there might even be schools _only_ for women. And you know how much I love learning –"

Kol snorted and for a moment her heart dropped, but then the corners of his lips quirked up and he said in a light tone, "The very last thing this world needs is you becoming even more clever. I like it. University is necessary for your plan to be queen of the world within two centuries."

Bea's smile stretched across her face and she launched herself at him, kissing him soundly before pulling back and whispering against his lips.

"Less of a queen, more a benevolent dictator. And you could be my second in command."

Kol rolled onto his back and propped himself up on his elbows, meeting her eyes before raising his eyebrows in what she hoped was only mocking offense.

"Of course I wouldn't. I'd be a kept man. You'd bring home only the most delectable of humans for me as I maintained the household. I am far more ornamental than you and must be treated with the utmost-"

Bea couldn't keep a straight face and as she burst out laughing he couldn't maintain his composure either.

"You can do as you like, darling. It is not as if we will be short on time together."

Bea grew excited as she contemplated possibilities for her future. Kol had done so very _much_ in his life time and now he could show her parts of the world he'd only described to her when he was in a nostalgic mood.

"So we can go to Paris? Italy?"

Kol cut her off with a fake growl and tackled her, pinning her to the bed and settling between her legs. He looked down at her with an amused smile on his face before he began to answer her in a wistful tone.

"Yes. I'll show you everything. The best parts obviously, can't have you thinking my life has been anything but optimal."

Bea threw her arms around his neck and pecked him before letting her head fall back against her paint stained pillow.

"We're going to have the best life together." 

* * *

_Present Day_

"What do you mean he's _dead_?"

Bea rolled her eyes at her dramatic exclamation, but really, if Rigby wanted to take her anger out on the perky little bitch who picked up the phone in Slater's apartment she might as well get it out of her system. Slater was exactly the right person to go to when information needed to be dug up. The fact that he had an enormous crush on Rigby was useful when they had to go through his contacts. Him being dead was quite an inconvenience, and the sniffling of the apparently heartbroken human was loud enough for even Bea to hear over the phone while sitting beside Rigby.

It was quickly growing annoying.

The conversation evidently wasn't getting anywhere productive and finally she heard Rigby shout, "Fine then. Watch your back, airhead."

Rigby hung up and nearly threw her phone back into her bag. Bea let her stew for a minute or two before she finally burst out laughing.

"You – oh my god, you lost your cool with a _human!_ Probably an itty bitty one! For once I'm not the raging bitch between us. But points for haunting her for the rest of her life. Unless you want to drive down to Virginia anyway and kill her."

Letting out a derisive snort from the passenger seat, Rigby muttered, "No. We're only a few hours from Juliette, it'd be a waste of time. I want to reach Juliette's before it gets too late and we have to wait until tomorrow. And like _you_ can talk about maintaining tempers, Grandma."

Bea turned up the radio once more and started humming along.

After the song ended Bea paused for a moment. Deciding to take offense to Rigby's last dig she reached out her right arm to flick her on the shoulder. Hard.

"I am not your grandmother, Eleanor Jane Morris. At least keep your insults accurate. Bitch, liar, nag, etcetera."

Rigby rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed by Bea's use of her real name, before slapping Bea's hand away in a rare show of immaturity.

"Sure thing, Great Aunt Beatrix."


	11. Chapter 11

_Present Day_

Juliette was incredibly talented when it came to glaring. Bea realized that now that her sort-of friend stared her down. It really was a shame Bea and Rigby were too pissed and frustrated to give a shit.

"You want information on the Originals. The group of vampires that would have _no qualms whatsoever_ killing my witchy ass for giving you that information. And specifically the whereabouts of _Klaus_. Literally the most powerful person in the world. You know I like you guys, but you have to give me more than that if I'm gonna put my ass on the line."

Bea truly struggled not to _snarl_ at the young woman.

When she had dragged Rigby away from their apartment on a mission to get Kol back, she'd assumed it would be simply be a matter of reaching out to the right people for information that could lead them to Klaus.

And then it turned out Slater was dead. He had been their best bet, what with his infinite contacts. Of course Bea had assumed Juliette would help after they discovered this, but they had driven all the way to New York fucking City only to find out that she had moved out of her apartment.

It had taken them nearly two infuriating months to find a witch who knew exactly where Juliette had moved.

The _suburbs_. Of _Pennsylvania_.

Bea glared back at the hard-to-find witch, annoyed that Juliette wouldn't help them point blank, but she understood the witch's reasoning. Before she herself had remembered everything about her husband and what he had told her about his siblings she had only known the Originals as terrifying entities – half legends at best.

Bea decided she might as well tell Juliette about what they were doing if it was the only way to get her to comply. She had met the girl when she was 12 and in an abusive foster home. After killing the couple and placing her with another family she had stopped by every once in a while to check on her. It was inevitable that she would grow reasonably fond of the bubbly young woman.

"I'm married to Kol Mikaelson, and he is with Niklaus."

Rigby whipped her head to face her and narrowed her eyes at her before muttering, "Didn't realize you were going to let that information spread. Instant target on both our backs."

Juliette had clearly overheard Rigby's words and looked offended when she answered, "I wouldn't tell anyone anything that could get you two hurt. I'd miss your moody vampire presence in my life and _oh my fucking God why didn't you tell me you're married?! To an Original, holy fucking_ –"

Rigby, who hadn't slept since they left their hotel room the previous day, seemed ready to tear her hair out when she cut the witch off and said, "Yes. She is married. Lower the volume… and the enthusiasm. It's giving me hives."

Bea took over once more before any questions could be asked and said, "I'm going to tell you some information that could result in your death if it gets out that you know. Are you able to handle that?"

Juliette snorted and waved nonchalantly at her, prompting her to continue.

"Niklaus Mikaelson has a curse placed on him to bind his werewolf ancestry. He is truly a hybrid and-"

" _Had._ Had a curse placed on him. Everyone who knows any higher ups in the supernatural community knows that there is a hybrid running around proclaiming himself the messiah as of a few months ago. Werewolves are panicking. I wasn't sure it was actually Klaus, though."

Bea froze completely. This was a development that she had not anticipated. It had never truly sunk in that she and Rigby didn't immerse themselves very deeply in the vampire community – but how on Earth had they not known this?

Bea couldn't call forth any productive thoughts. Klaus having already broken his curse complicated their situation immensely and at the moment Bea was unable to formulate a plan that could use this to their advantage.

It was Rigby who broke the silence, much to Bea's relief.

"Let's not start with Klaus. He'll be completely covered with spells that prevent accurate tracking, so if you don't know his whereabouts directly from others it's essentially useless. But what you can do is find out where an enormous amount of magic was conducted in the last couple of months. We can go there, and from there retrace his steps."

Bea knew she must have looked absurd, what with all of her teeth showing as she beamed at her best friend. At times she forgot how very lucky she was to have Rigby at her side. Turning her descendant in 1972 had been a decision borne of pity for the young witch whose near-constant visions were driving her insane. But Eleanor Morris had foreseen Bea's arrival for years and asked to become a vampire nearly immediately after they had met.

Bea had not known at the time that it would be one of the best decisions of her life. The two had become incredibly close, and to her never ending amusement their friendship had begun after Bea had given her a nickname based on a Beatles song that wound up sticking even decades later.

Juliette clapped her hands together in apparent agreement, redirecting Bea's attention, and stood. The witch began opening and closing drawers in her kitchen, evidently gathering materials for the spell as she muttered ingredients under her breath.

Rigby bumped her shoulder against Bea's and said in a low tone so as not to be overheard by Juliette, "Sorry for the short fuse. You know I get cranky when I'm tired."

Bea only shrugged, not judging at all. She herself was known for her outrageous temper, the slaughter of the two young men at their last apartment was a clear indicator of that. Though in Bea's defense, she'd discovered she had been turned by accident by her brother-in-law after he had destroyed her life.

She figured there was a certain amount of leeway to be granted for such a situation.

When Juliette plopped down in front of the two once more and began laying out bowls and maps, Bea immediately focused in on what was happening.

"Alright, so I'm going to track any major disrupts of the magical variety in the last six months or so. I'm going to start with Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. If nothing shows up we can move down the East coast."

It only took five minutes or so to set up, but Bea grew more impatient every time the witch started rambling about unrelated topics. They had already wasted two months on this search, and every additional second wasted was incredibly infuriating. Rigby's hand rubbing soothing circles on her back was the only thing grounding her.

It only required a single drop of the mixture, and a few chanted words. Utterly underwhelming, in Bea's opinion. However a minute later the drop had moved across the map to hover over a spot in Virginia.

"Can we get a bit more specific? Print out a map of Virginia on its own?"

Juliette snorted and pulled a second map out from beneath the first, clearly offended by the implication that she was anything less than completely prepared.

"Already on it."

The second time the location was identified, Bea couldn't hold in her hysterical laugh. Rigby was watching her as if she was crazy, but Bea couldn't hold it in.

"That fucking _drama queen_. Jesus Christ, even big bad hybrids have theatrical streaks. Breaking the curse in his _home town_. What a –"

Rigby cut her off and looked faintly amused herself.

"So I take it 'Mystic Falls' is a pretty sure bet to start at?"

Bea nodded and leaped up from her seat, already re energized and excited that they had a lead. They had a _lead_. This was actually happening. They would go to Mystic Falls and scope out anything supernatural. If all was well, they'd immediately set off on the trail of bodies Niklaus was sure to have left since turning.

She was one step closer to Kol.

Rigby stood beside her as well and stretched her arms over her head, her back popping loudly.

With a slight yawn, she turned to face Bea and casually said, "The collateral?"

Bea paused for a moment and thought over the issue. It was not good at all for Juliette to know where they were. For her to know _anything_ about their mission, actually. They had come to her for the very reason that she was a chatty girl who always sought gossip. If the wrong people discovered what they were doing - discovered Bea's existence at all - they would be in danger. And Bea could never allow anything that could harm Rigby to take place.

It only took her a moment to speed forward and snap Juliette's neck.

Bea let out an exasperated sigh as she looked down at the body. It was _so hard_ finding discreet help nowadays.


	12. Chapter 12

Warning: This chapter contains an adult scene. It isn't overly vulgar or explicit but if you would prefer not to read it you can skip to the last section.

* * *

 _March, 1912_

It was surreal. Everything had only truly sunk in the moment Kol opened the door to the automobile and she faced the beautiful house he had bought for them along the coast of North Carolina. Though perhaps _bought_ was a misnomer – Bea wasn't sure he had paid for the property in full. Or at all, really. Regardless, her mouth fell open in awe at the new home.

 _Their_ new home. She would never live alone again as Miss Beatrix Lynch. Now she was Mrs. Beatrix Mikaelson.

With little warning Bea suddenly found herself thrown over her previously-silent husband's shoulder, making her let out a loud "Oomph" as his shoulder dug into her lower stomach.

Before she could catch her breath and begin shrieking, Kol spoke in a conversational tone.

"I'm quite sure I'm meant to carry you over the threshold, love. And I'm all for remaining proper and upholding human traditions."

Immediately Bea's anger quelled and she couldn't hold in her laughter. When he gently lowered her back to the ground she was still laughing. She hadn't noticed they had entered the front hall of their new home until the high heeled shoes she wore clicked loudly against the hardwood floors.

It was jarring. Her laughter trailed off and immediately to her extreme embarrassment a blush crawled up her cheeks. They were in their home, and it was their wedding night. Bea knew that it was finally the night that she and Kol would have sex. She wanted it, but holy hell was it causing her nerves to act up.

Kol clearly noted her sudden tenseness. She had openly discussed her nervousness with him regarding their first night as husband and wife and therefore knew immediately what was causing her stress.

"You're in charge tonight, _chéri._ We do whatever you want."

And truly, Bea hadn't thought she could love someone to the degree she loved Kol Mikaelson. His uncharacteristically gentle words caused a rush of fondness, and Bea stepped closer to him so that she could press her lips to his.

As per usual, their kiss quickly became heated. When he suddenly pulled back and knelt before her she was taken aback. His intentions were made clear a moment later when he began carefully removing her shoes.

"I could get used to being on my knees before you. Worshipping you as you deserve, Mrs. Mikaelson."

Those were the words that spurred her to action. As soon as her shoes were off Bea strode up the stairs, leaving Kol behind her with a plaintive "Hey!" shouted at her back. It only took two guesses for her to find the master bedroom and by then he had used his speed to overtake her, opening the door with exaggerated chivalry and a bow.

Time seemed to vacillate between slowing down drastically and speeding up to the degree that Bea felt as though she couldn't keep up. When she had removed her dress and stood before Kol wearing only her slip, anticipation once more began to build with a rush of heat deep in her stomach as she watched his face become nothing short of _hungry_.

Kol sat back on the bed, scooting backwards until he was sitting against the headboard. With a smirk on his face he patted the blanket in front of him, prompting Bea to climb onto the bed herself.

To her surprise, Kol remained quiet. Perhaps his usual commentary would have relieved some of her nervousness, but the quiet was equally soothing. Instead of drawing her into his lap to kiss her, Kol once more surprised her when he spread his legs and turned her so she sat between his thighs, her back pressed to his chest.

His warm hands rubbing her back felt like _heaven_ and the irony that it was a homicidal vampire making her feel so good was not lost on her. When his nails lightly scratched at her shoulders – especially her sensitive scarred one - she nearly moaned.

Bea barely noticed as Kol slid the straps of her slip down and it pooled at her waist. When he moved his hands to her front and began teasing her she really _did_ moan.

She opened her legs in a clear invitation and within a moment Kol's hand began touching the apex of her thighs.

"You're so gorgeous."

Kol's lips ghosted along her neck and she shuddered. One arm wrapped around her stomach, as he continued to work at her with his fingers, building her up and up until she nearly went over the edge.

Then he _stopped_.

Bea turned around and threw her legs over his, an indignant expression on her face. However before she could protest Kol cupped her face and began kissing her softly. When he pulled back he rested his forehead against her.

"We're married."

An enormous smile spread over her face and she laughed at his wondrous tone.

"Yes. We are. I can barely believe I have lowered myself to marry such a degenerate like - "

Kol tackled her back, surprising a laugh out of her.

He smiled at her and bent to kiss her more aggressively. After kissing her on the neck he propped himself up on his elbows, keeping the majority of his weight off of her. With no small measure of seriousness in his voice he said, "You're in charge, love. Tell me what you like, what you don't."

Bea blushed. Quietly she whispered back, "I don't know what to do. If I do something wrong, can you tell me? If I can't do this right?"

Kol immediately cut her off, "There is no right or wrong, not with us. Whatever comes naturally." Bea nodded, and gasped as her husband began kissing down her body.

* * *

It hurt, she knew it would, but she had not expected it to quite so _much_. It felt as though she was being torn in two and well – she supposed that was true in a sense.

Bea wound her arms more tightly around Kol and pressed her face against Kol's chest, hiding her tears as best she could against his heated skin, but there was no quelling her small whimper.

Kol was holding himself still above her. Every time he shifted minutely she had to clench her teeth and focus on keeping her breath. Kol had lifted his chest from hers and now bent his neck, pressing her lips to her cheeks.

"Shh, worst part is over love. I swear." Bea could feel the sharp pain abating and now no longer wished to swat at him and shove him off of her.

"That had best be the worst part, else I won't have a clue what all the fuss is. You can – you can move."

And _he did_. A surge of heat flooded her belly alongside the sting now and she breathed in a quiet gasp.

Kol's pace was slow – gentle – and they soon settled into a rhythm. Bea felt incredibly relieved when her body seemed to know what to do instinctually. She moaned out his name and called out to a god she didn't believe in both in English and French. Soon she was reduced to incoherently cries.

His finish nearly came as a surprise but less than a second later he reached down and touched her the way he had learned quickly makes her writhe and sends her over the edge.

When she'd stopped shuddering and regained her senses and smiled widely, completely sated. Kol had made it clear to her why an orgasm was called _la petite mort –_ a little death – every time he brought her to a climax and she could swear she disconnected from her own body. She supposed it fit, the vampire delivering little deaths to his lover time and time again.

"Kol Mikaelson, I love you so, so much."

"I love you, too, Beatrix Mikaelson."

* * *

 _Present Day_

Bea sighed for the sixth time into the subpar coffee in front of her.

"What _now_?"

Bea couldn't really blame Rigby - after all, she knew she was being moody. But the town of Mystic Falls was so boring. The "Mystic Cafe" wasn't exactly luxurious, and noting else in this town seemed to be either.

"I cannot believe Klaus lasted long enough here to perform the ritual. It is utterly plebeian."

Rigby kicked her shin under the table, a disapproving look on her face at the bitchy comment. Dear god, how they got along and loved each other so fiercely was truly a mystery with how completely different they could be.

Before Bea could open her mouth to retort, something caught her eye outside of the large windows at the storefront.

Her jaw snapped shut and she squinted to be sure that she wasn't mistaken. But it only made her more confident in her assessment. The straight hair and boring outfit had thrown her off, but it was her. What the hell she was doing in this town was a mystery. Rigby had turned as well and had the same surprised expression she knew must be on her own face.

"Rigby, am I mistaken or is that Katie?"

* * *

Hello Lovelies! I have a quick question - would people be wanting more explicit love scenes? I have a few written but was unsure if I should include them and up the rating to M. Let me know!


	13. Chapter 13

_Present Day_

Bea and Rigby immediately stood up, slapping a ten on the table to pay for their drinks. The tip was generous, especially considering their barista was a smarmy little shit.

Rigby smiled and looked wistful when she said, "Well we know there are vampires in town. Whatever the hell Katie is doing here, however, is a mystery to me."

A sly smile spread on Bea's face and her voice was teasing when she whispered, "Don't pretend you're not happy to see her again. You were _so_ into her. And my gaydar was off the charts in the eighties. She was always _happy_ to see you."

An uncharacteristic blush erupted on Rigby's cheeks and she shoved Bea out the door of the café, muttering insults and protests as they left.

Katie wasn't walking very quickly as she chattered on the phone, but just as Rigby opened her mouth to call out to her they both froze when they heard her say, "School is starting soon. We need to find Stefan before then, when I'll be so much busier. We're getting close to Klaus, I feel it."

 _Klaus._ Bea listened carefully for a moment, focusing on the girl in front of them. She had a heartbeat. A human heartbeat.

Bea spoke in an amused tone when she linked arms with her grandniece before saying, "Why Rigby, I do believe we have a case of mistaken identity. _That_ is a doppelganger. One that should not be among the living , considering Niklaus broke his curse."

Rigby laughed loudly and squeezed Bea's arm in return.

"I do believe you're right, lovely lady. We should get to know her."

Only a minute later they were just behind the girl. She had hung up, but only after they had a name - the man she had spoken with called her 'Elena'.

Rigby and Bea separated and in unison walked up so they were on either side of the doppelganger. Elena's head turned from side to side and Bea nearly laughed at her innocently startled expression. She reached out and laced her fingers with the girl's and saw Rigby so the same, preventing her from running.

It was at that point that the girl very clearly realized something was wrong. She opened her mouth, but Bea leaned closer to her and whispered in a sing song voice only an inch away from her ear.

"If you scream or try to alert anyway in any way, we will kill everyone you see on this street."

Elena froze and sucked in a harsh breath. Rigby reached into the girl's pocket and pulled out her phone, whistling in a breath when she tapped the home button and saw the screen.

"Well would you look at that. So many bright and sunshiny smiles on your friends' faces. Wouldn't want to give them a reason to frown."

It was only a ten minute walk before they found a house whose owner was standing on their porch. Compelling the man into inviting them in was incredibly simple, and Bea sent him on his way into town so he wouldn't be an interference.

Pinning the girl to the inside of the door by the throat was easy, and Bea leaned forward to smell her deeply.

"Beautiful necklace. Smells a bit off… like _maybe_ there is an herb inside."

Rigby snorted and without looking up from the home screen – The girl didn't have a passcode? Moron. – ripped off the necklace.

"Stop being dramatic. No need to scare the Copy-Kat more than necessary. She smells like tears, and I'm not good with weepy humans."

Bea rolled her eyes and leaned in to compel the girl. What to make her do? It wasn't fair to take her anger out on the girl, but…

" _Punch yourself in the face, then tell us everything you know about the supernatural_. _Then shut up._ "

Rigby let out an exasperated sigh, so Bea rolled her eyes and added on, _"Please, I guess._ "

* * *

Twenty-three Minutes Later

"Fuck, your life sucks."

Rigby let out a choking sound of surprise and stomped on Bea's foot. Thank god she was wearing flats today. A hole through her foot because of a pair of stilettos would really put a damper on her day.

"Ow! Don't be mean! I was just being honest."

Rigby frowned and said in a disapproving tone, "You're being a bitch. Like you said, she hasn't had it exactly easy. And she's our ticket to Klaus. It's _probably_ not good that she's still alive – you said the curse needs her as a sacrifice."

"Alright, alright."

Elena had been flailing around, clawing at Bea's hand that still encircled her throat. She'd been easy to ignore, but when one of the girl's kicks connected with her shin Bea whipped her head around to glare at her.

"You're very irritating, you know. We haven't done anything to you yet. Your dramatics are over the top."

Rigby leaned forward and made eye contact over Bea's shoulder.

" _You can talk quietly. Whisper. And stop kicking Bea, she's on a roaring rampage of revenge. Very twitchy lately._ "

The doppelganger open her mouth to speak but Bea had already begun yelling, utterly offended by Rigby's phrasing. After a few choice swears, Bea stopped talking so that she could hear Elena, who had apparently been speaking the whole time.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?"

Rigby and Bea both snorted in derision at the same time and then looked at each other, grinning at their similarities.

Bea glared at Elena and mockingly said, "Why do you assume everything is about you? I mean, sure, I'm interested in hearing about how on earth you're alive, but I don't care about you."

"Then what is it you want?"

Bea leaned in close and let a wide smile cover her face, causing the girl to shudder.

"I'm just a woman looking for her husband. And you, sweetheart, are going to help me."

* * *

 _July 1912_

Bea was hopping on one leg, struggling to tug on her left stocking.

"Merde! Stupid, stupid, _stupid useless thing!"_

Kol was gone for the day, probably threatening or slaughtering some old enemy or another – after all, he had been quite cheerful lately.

It only took a second for Bea to slip on the hardwood floor and lose her balance near the staircase.

When she hit the bottom stair, the sound of her spine breaking echoed in the foyer.


	14. Chapter 14

_July 1912 Continued_

She was drifting in and out of consciousness. She was quite sure something had snapped in her ankle, but she couldn't feel it. Bea couldn't feel _anything_ below her waist.

Tears streamed down her face and she knew her body must already be turning black and blue with bruises. Her breathing hitched as she sobbed and when she tried to move she found that the pain increased to the degree that she would fall back into unconsciousness.

The sun had been at its peak when Bea fell, and by the time she ran out of tears it was setting. The pain was beginning to fade, and she somewhat deliriously wondered if her blood had stained the new carpet.

Bea startled when she suddenly heard Kol's shout.

"Everything alri-"

She knew the moment he had walked through the kitchen and had seen her when a choking sound left him and his breath hitched. She was not awake a moment later, but could hear his frantic shouts. In the back of her mind she idly marveled at the fact that he was crying for the first time in three years.

When she came to, her head was in Kol's lap and she choked right away. He had to have _ravaged_ his wrist with the amount of blood that was pouring down her throat.

"Come on, swallow. It's okay – it's going to be okay, love. Please," his voice cracked and he was barely whispering when he said, " _please_ be okay. You are not allowed to not be okay."

Bea had already swallowed some of his blood and she found the strength to reach up and wrap her hands around Kol's wrist to press it harder to her mouth.

Kol was running his hands through her hair with shaking hands, and murmured to her in French, humming between his words to soothe her.

When her spine realigned it created a cracking sound nearly as loud as the initial break. Bea cried out against Kol's wrist when sensation returned to her lower body and all of her injuries were revealed.

It took _minutes_ for her to be able to breathe deeply and evenly, free of the debilitating pain she had been experiencing. Kol had torn his wrist open twice more when he had healed.

When Bea finally sat up, Kol immediately pulled her onto his lap and held her tightly. Bea was taking deep, shuddering breaths as she thought about how close to death she had been and what could have happened if Kol hadn't come home tonight.

She pressed her face into his neck and tried to regain her bearings, still utterly terrified. Kol was running his hands up and down her back and she heard as his own breathing returned to a more steady rate.

Neither of them said anything, they just held each other and calmed down after what had just happened.

Bea was the first one to pull free from his embrace and gently laid her hands on either side of his face.

"It's okay. I'm alright. Everything is fine."

Just when she finished speaking, Kol let out a loud growl and lifted her up off of him so they could both stand. When he spoke it was nearly hard to understand what he was saying in a snarling tone.

"Everything is not _fucking fine_ , Bea! We didn't blood share last night. If you had died _I would have found your fucking dead body_!"

Bea nodded, accepting that he was turning his fear into anger. Anger was always much easier for Kol – and her for that matter – to deal with. Just as she opened her mouth to soothe him, he cut her off.

"That's it. You're turning now."

A strange feeling in the pit of her stomach began forming, and she realized her own rising temper was tinged with fear.

"I'm fine now, I was just scared. I'm not turning yet. We agreed we would wait until I'm twenty four, so we could be the same age physically."

Kol shook his head frantically and began muttering to himself, looking more and more unhinged as Bea began slowly walking backwards while keeping an eye on him.

"No, no, no. Tonight. It won't hurt a bit, I promise. We have to right now, you've got my blood in your system and-"

Bea shouted at him, getting more and more anxious as he paced and ran his hands through his hair.

"Kol, stop it! I don't want to turn yet!"

His next words made her blood run cold.

"It's the only way to keep you safe! And I can do it anyway."

Bea's throat tightened, and for the first time in years she was scared of Kol. In a choked voice that wavered just the smallest bit she said, "I wouldn't forgive you."

"I'm an Original. I can compel vampires."

And that was the last straw. Bea turned and ran toward the kitchen, trying to get as far away from him as possible. He had _sworn_ he would never compel her. He'd given her the memory of their first horrific date back and she had laughed at the idea of him using his powers to make her feel better.

But this was different. This was her husband – the man who was supposed to be her equal – wanting to use mind control on her because they disagreed. And it would be _easy_ for him. Kol could turn her and make her forget that she hadn't wanted to.

Of course she only made it a few steps before he reached out and grabbed her wrist. But Bea turned quickly and lifted her other hand, pressing her bracelet with vervain to his face.

Kol shouted and reflexively let her go, allowing her to make it into the other room. As soon as he walked through the door himself Bea began throwing everything she could reach at him. Pots and pans were all hurled at him, and in the back of her mind she mourned the loss of the beautiful ceramic mug that he deflected and shattered on the ground.

"Bea, stop! You're being unreasonable!"

When she ran out of things to throw, Bea pressed herself against the counter and held back tears. Kol walked over and stopped just in front of her. He raised his hands and cupped her face softly, completely at odds with her own terror.

Bea's voice was barely a croaking whisper as she said, "Please don't kill me."

Kol reared back immediately, letting go of her and had an absolutely shocked look on his face, as if he didn't understand what she was talking about. He frowned and seemed to note the tears running down her face for the first time as his expression changed to one of pleading and confusion.

"Sweetheart, I'm not –"

All reason left Bea at the sound of his soothing tone, and her vocal cords felt like they were shredding when she screamed at him.

"Get the fuck away from me!"

"Bea – "

" _GET THE FUCK OUT OF THIS HOUSE!"_

An expression crossed Kol's face that she had honestly never seen before. He looked scared, guilty, but most of all _devastated_. He walked away from her but just before he closed the front door he turned over his shoulder and quietly say in a wavering voice.

"I'm so, so sorry love."

* * *

 _Sorry everyone, but marriage isn't perfect! Don't worry too much - these two are much too co-dependent too stay away from each other for long._


	15. Chapter 15

_August 1912_

Kol didn't return to their house until fifteen days had gone by. Bea had needed that time and was thankful that he at least knew that. If he had come any sooner she wouldn't have been able to face him.

The sound of Kol knocking on their front door startled her out of her silence. She'd been sitting at their kitchen table, staring at the cup of tea in front of her.

Bea didn't raise her voice, knowing he would hear her anyway as she said, "Come in."

It was strange, inviting him into their home. The place that she had always felt safest. Where they had begun their lives together as a married couple who planned on spending eternity together.

Kol didn't use his vampire speed as he walked over slowly and sat down across from her somewhat hesitantly. Bea's grip tightened on her mug and she didn't look up at him, instead focusing on the steam rising off of her drink.

She saw out of the corner of her eye that he had extended his hand slowly toward her, but pulled it back and instead folded his hands together in front of him. Bea didn't speak, and the two of them sat in silence for a minute.

Kol's voice was barely more than a whisper when he spoke, as if scared he would scare her off.

"I hurt you."

Bea nodded, not sparing his feelings when she said equally quietly, "You did."

She finally looked up and met his eyes. Seeing him looking so serious with bloodshot eyes and altogether looking disarrayed for some reason made tears rise in her own eyes, though they didn't overflow.

"I hurt you inconceivably. I vowed I would protect you when you became my wife, and I was – I was the one who caused you pain. You were _terrified_ of me –"

Kol's voice became choked up and she saw that his eyes also become wet. Bea surprised herself when it was her who hesitantly reached her hand across the table. He looked nervous when he reached out to hold her hand, clearly worried about touching her after the last time they had been together.

Kol lightly placed his hand over hers, and she turned their hands over and began tracing the lines of his palm.

Bea looked back down at her absentminded actions and let herself think deeply. She had spent the last two weeks considering what to do. And honestly, she was still conflicted over the notion of where they could go from here. What she did know was that there felt like there was a gaping hole in her life when Kol wasn't there. He was more than her husband. He was her best friend, and the first person she wanted to share things with.

"You were going to take away my free will."

Kol didn't answer right away, but when he did whisper it was incredibly hoarse.

"Yes. I wanted to compel you to agree with me and become a vampire."

Bea once more lifted her head and at the same time laced their fingers together loosely.

"I need you to tell me why. And you need to tell me if you have ever compelled me apart from our first date."

Kol winced but answered right away.

"I have not compelled you. And you _know_ why. I wanted you to be immortal immediately. I didn't take your feelings into consideration, and had decided that what I wanted was more important."

Bea took a few deep breaths and ran her hands through her hair nervously. She had never been so scared in her life that night, and the prospect of something like that happening again was horrifying.

"Let me – let me think about this. I can't forgive what you did right away. But –"

Bea paused and squeezed his hand lightly. Fuck. She had no idea if what she was about to do was the right choice.

" – I think we can get past this. Kol - it can never, ever happen again. I want to start drinking vervain, because to be honest I'm scared to trust you right now."

Kol's own grip on her hand tightened and his breath hitched slightly.

"Can I come home?"

At this Bea looked up at him and saw the incredible vulnerability on his face.

"Yes. You can come home."

* * *

 _Present Day_

Rigby was staring at Bea and looked utterly incredulous. She wouldn't have been surprised if Rigby's mouth had actually fallen open. When Rigby had finally pulled herself together she spoke in a partially amused but mostly doubtful voice.

"A _teacher_? You, who has absolutely no patience and doesn't particularly like kids?"

Bea huffed, mildly offended, and tossed her hair over her shoulder to make a dramatic gesture.

"It's a brilliant plan. Even you have to admit it."

Rigby snorted but didn't disagree, so Bea continued.

"We've got the doppelganger under our thumbs. But she told us all about the absurd amount of drama her little gang get into. If I'm around them every day it'll be infinitely easier to keep an eye on them."

Rigby rolled her eyes but ultimately shrugged and said in a resigned voice, "At least it's just art class. You would slaughter an entire classroom of kids if you had to do math."

Bea punched her on the arm, but the other woman dodged and laughed at her. Suddenly however she nudged Bea and motioned to the apartment complex in front of them.

"I like these. Are we going to actually buy one, or compel the real estate agent?"

"Compel, clearly."

Rigby nodded, and the two of them stood outside in silence for a minute, looking around at the town. Bea had been incredibly tense since they had interrogated the doppelganger and learned about the atrocities Klaus had committed. The fact that Elijah had been in the town as well had her on edge.

Rigby threw her arm over Bea's shoulder and squeezed her in a quick sideways hug.

"We're getting closer to your husband. We are two brilliant and bloodthirsty women who are on a mission. And having the doppelganger as a spy will be immensely helpful."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry, I've been a buzz kill."

Rigby smiled lightly however and said, "C'mon. Lets go a few towns over and you can binge on a few teenagers. It might emotionally equip you for the demons that are modern high school kids."


	16. Chapter 16

Warning: The second section of this chapter contains an adult scene. It isn't overly vulgar or explicit but if you would prefer not to read it you can skip it.

* * *

 _February_ _1913_

"Rome is an absolute _must._ I need to be inside the Roman forum. _"_

Kol let out an overdramatic sigh and said in what was clearly a mocking tone, "Whatever you want, dear."

Bea frowned and leaned over to pinch him, feeling very satisfied with the high pitched yelping sound he made. A map of the world was spread out on the floor, and Bea was pushing pins into all of the places she wanted to visit next year after she was turned.

"Be serious! This is our _future_. I guess I could always leave you behind and-"

Kol leaned over and wrapped his arms around her waist tightly, quickly picking her up and maneuvering her so that she was in his lap.

"Nope. You're stuck with me. Like a barnacle or-"

Bea rolled her eyes and dryly said, "a tumor, perhaps. But even more malignant."

Kol raised his eyebrows and jerked his chin in the direction of the map before saying, "it doesn't matter to me where we go. I'm happy to do whatever you want. _You_ are the only thing I want to be inside."

Bea huffed and muttered, "I detest that you can be charming and crude. Maybe if you help me with this I'll let you bend me over the dresser and fuck me from behind like last week."

With _considerably_ more enthusiasm Kol leaned over to look at the map and said, "whatever you want, dear."

* * *

 _May 1913_

Bea never felt more twisted than moments like these, straddling Kol's lap as the sheets became dirtied with their sweat. As his thumb pressed against something that made her vision blur his fingers moved inside of her faster and faster, twisting and scissoring and making her _writhe._ A moment later she was gasping when he added another finger inside of her to join the other two, and she suddenly remembered the conversation they'd once had when she'd told him she would follow him to hell.

Maybe she was already there.

Certainly by now she'd fallen from grace. He licked the blood from where it trailed down from the bite mark on her neck and she panted into his shoulder, the quickness of her breaths having forced her to pull her lips back from the bloody imprint her own teeth had left in his shoulder. They were exchanging blood regularly, though not always in intimate situations, but each time it made everything seem sharper – more immediate.

Minutes later Bea came with a high pitched shout and he worked her through it until she whimpered with overstimulation and dug her nails into his back. When she'd stopped shuddering and regained the strength in her legs she climbed off of him. Kol had made it clear to her why an orgasm was called _la petite mort –_ a little death – every time he brought her to a climax and she could swear she disconnected from her own body. She supposed it fit, the vampire delivering little deaths to his lover time and time again.

Bea kissed down his chest as he laid down flat on his back, lightly nipping at his stomach before she put her mouth on him. When Kol closed his eyes and threw his head back with a low groan she looked up at him from where she was moving up and down.

She had decided they were irrefutably damned. But whenever he panted her name it sounded like a prayer and his lips against her skin felt like benediction. He sipped from her like communion wine ran through her veins and when he told her he loved her it felt like a revelation.

They might have been forsaken, but they found religion behind each others' eyes.

* * *

 _September 1913_

"Je suis désolé!, I didn't know vampires could get food poisoning!"

Bea's wailing almost drowned out the sound of Kol vomiting in the kitchen sink. When he was finished with the bout of being sick he leaned back and called out to her over his shoulder.

"I am never fucking touching anything –" he was interrupted by another bout of throwing up, " - you make in the goddamn kitchen again. _Ever_."

"I was trying to be romantic!"

* * *

 _December 1913_

Kol was drumming his fingers on Bea's back in a random rhythm, but she knew her husband's nervous habits. She was laying on her stomach with her face buried in her pillow, so she turned her head to face him.

"Out with it. What has got you in a tizzy?"

Kol had a look on his face that made it clear he was concentrating on the issue.

"You know how I've been investigating some witches?"

Bea nodded and snuggled closer to him and pressed her cold toes against his shins to warm them up, earning her a raised eyebrow before he continued.

"There are some covens that wish to raise Silas. Which would cause the end of the world."

Bea nodded along and would normally have made a joke, but Kol looked incredibly serious, which was rare.

"Are they well protected? Why is it you have yet to kill them?"

"That is where it gets complicated. They are under Niklaus's protection. He doesn't believe in Silas, and when I kill them he may not see reason."

Bea put her hand over the area of Kol's chest that housed his heart and hummed, considering the implications of that statement.

"The world could burn for all I care, as long as you're safe. Do what you need to, but don't you dare put yourself in harm's way."

* * *

 _March 1914_

Bea tried _so, so hard_ not to make any sound from where she his around the corner of her house, but the small sob that left her at the sight of her husband effectively being killed wasn't muffled by her hand. The should have known Niklaus would catch up to him – _she_ should have known.

The one who had stabbed Kol – it had to be Klaus, seeing as Kol had called the other man Elijah – whipped his head around. A cruel smile grew on his face and in a mockingly light tone he called out.

"Well, well, well. It seems we have an audience."

It only took a second for him to speed over to her and drag her onto her own porch. Elijah didn't speak, he only looked slightly resigned to his brother's action. Klaus tightly gripped her chin and forced her to meet his gaze

"Now. I'd love to get to know you better. _What is your name?_ "

Bea couldn't speak over the lump in her throat and wrenched her head away so she could look down at Kol, who for all intensive purposes was dead.

"Someone has vervain. What a pretty bracelet. Let's have a closer look."

Klaus ripped the jewelry off of her wrist with a harshness that immediately fractured the bone. Bea let out a high cry and cradled her injured arm against her chest, instinctively shielding it from the two men.

" _Look at me. What is your name?"_

She remembered the first and only time Kol had compelled her. But while he had compelled her to forget their first date, this felt like the words were being wrenched out of her mouth.

"Beatrix Mikaelson."

Both of the men physically reeled back with wide eyes. However a second later Klaus narrowed his eyes and glared at her.

"Impossible."

Elijah interjected at that point and sounded exasperated when he said, "Clearly she's been compelled. Take off the compulsion before you interrogate the poor girl. She's probably one of Kol's toys."

"Alright. _I remove any compulsion that has been performed on you. What is your full name_?"

"Beatrix Louisa Mikaelson nee Lynch."

Klaus looked confused for a moment, and once more questioned her.

" _What are the details about your relationship to Kol, and what do you know about our family_?"

"Kol is my husband. We married March of 1912 after knowing each other for three years. Our second anniversary was four days ago. Your family consists of Elijah, Finn, Niklaus, and Rebekah while your youngest brother Henrik died due to a werewolf."

At that, she saw Klaus's expression change to one of rage while Elijah only looked curious as he examined her before muttering, "interesting."

Klaus once more grabbed her face, but with a degree of force that she already knew would turn her jaw black and blue tomorrow.

" _What do you know about the supernatural?_ "

"Your family are Original vampires from the tenth century. You are a werewolf and vampire hybrid. Witches, werewolves, and vampires all exist."

Klaus looked absolutely shocked for a moment before he released her and roared with laughter.

"It seems our little brother found himself a human. He must be entirely besotted to have told you so much. What was the plan – you'd be turned into a vampire?"

Tears rushed into Bea's eyes and she remained silent seeing as he hadn't compelled her. His question was clearly mocking, and she couldn't suppress her whimper of terror and the throbbing pain of her wrist. She was only about to whisper in a broken voice when she finally spoke of her own volition.

"Please. _Please_ don't hurt him. Please let him go."

Klaus rolled his eyes and walked over to Kol's body and roughly threw him over his shoulder. In that moment Bea knew that the men wouldn't be removing the dagger. Her husband was going to be imprisoned for an unknown length of time. In the back of her mind Bea desperately wished that she had listened to Kol years ago. That she had been turned and could wait for him. But their future together was doomed.

As Klaus walked off of the porch he shouted at Elijah over his shoulder, "Do take care of this, brother. We can't have any loose ends."

After Klaus was no longer in sight, she saw Elijah relax infinitesimally and a look of regret passed over his face. Bea knew that he was the noble one, the one Kol made fun of for being a goody two shoes, but she also knew that he would not allow her to know so much about them.

Elijah's voice was curious and surprisingly earnest when he turned and looked at her closely.

"You truly loved my brother. Did he feel the same?"

He hadn't compelled her, but she didn't see the point in ignoring him, so she whispered out a strangled, "Yes."

Without any warning Elijah lifted his wrist to his mouth and bit into the skin. When he held it in front of her Bea was taken aback at the gesture.

"What – "

"The least I can do is heal that arm of yours, for Kol. I'm sorry about what I have to do."

Bea was terrified. But her wrist was bothering her, so she gripped his wrist and drank a few sips of his blood. It felt _wrong_. Kol was the only one she had ever shared blood with, and it had always meant much to her.

When her wrist was healed, Elijah gently tilted her head up and met her eyes.

" _You will not remember anything concerning your relationship with my brother, and you will no longer remember the existence of vampires_."

* * *

Bea had the most peculiar feeling. She was bewildered to find herself out on her porch considering it was quite chilly. The door to her house was ajar and she quickly entered the house.

When she made her way into the kitchen she saw that a few mugs were already on the counter, and she decided to make some tea to warm up.

When she looked into one of the half empty mugs she was startled to see black coffee. She always added copious amounts of milk to her own, and a brief flash of curiosity overtook her before she forgot what she had been thinking about.

Only minutes later she was startled to hear a knock on her door. Immediately she rushed over and was surprised to see a man with curly blonde hair standing outside at this time of night.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

When she met his eyes he immediately spoke.

" _Step outside."_

Bea took a long stride over the threshold and couldn't figure out why for the life of her. When she opened her mouth to learn more about the stranger he cut her off.

"My brother is far too sentimental. There really is no reason to leave a liability such as yourself alive."

Bea felt a brief flash of terror and backed up quickly. Somehow he had reached past her and closed the door, causing her to smack the back of her head against the wood, biting down hard on tongue in the process.

"I can make it quick for Kol's sake. Never let it be said I'm not a kind man."

Beatrix Mikaelson's life ended with the loud crack of a severed spine, and blood pooling in her mouth.

* * *

 _We made it everyone! This is the final flashback chapter, from now on we'll be seeing what Bea and Rigby get up to in Mystic Falls!_

 _Please review and let me know how you liked it!_


	17. Chapter 17

"There is nothing to do in this stupid town."

Rigby was pouting and sitting across from Bea at the Mystic Café, which they'd had to admit _did_ serve pretty good coffee and now frequented often.

Bea was struggling not to laugh at Rigby's laments, but realistically she felt a little bit guilty for dragging her best friend around. They hadn't been separated for nearly five decades, but maybe that was what Rigby wanted now. Bea ducked her head down, not brave enough admittedly to meet her gaze.

"I know you've always liked larger cities. Rigby… if that's what you want I completely understand. You've always done so much for me. You don't have to –"

Rigby reached out and tugged on Bea's hand, forcing her to look up. Rigby was rolling her eyes from across the table and snorted in amusement before speaking in a slow voice, as if stating something obvious.

"Don't be an idiot."

"But – "

"Hey, I'm serious. You're my best friend. Someone did something awful to you. Ergo, we kick their asses. It's pretty simple. And if you want to get into specifics, you've done way more than me. Eternal life, eternal youth – well, I maintain that thirty is still young and hot, and no more visions driving me insane was a pretty sweet Christmas gift."

Bea laughed lightly and would deny _until her dying day_ that she didn't tear up a bit. With Kol within her grasp and her best friend getting all sappy, who the hell wouldn't get all gross and _emotional_. Bea tried to play it off, but of course Rigby caught on, thankfully not mentioning it but softening her expression a little.

Before things could get too heavily, Bea said in a cheery voice, "We still need to finish refurbishing our apartment. It's been two weeks and in two days I'll have to be dealing with hormonal teenagers five days out of the week. We should get some preliminary retail therapy in."

Rigby nodded and had a thoughtful expression on her face when she responded, "I agree. Might as well make this place a little homey. But do you remember when the doppelganger said that she and her friends are almost always at the Mystic Grill – and Jesus Fuck who names this shit – with the gang? You're going to be seeing them during the day. Why shouldn't I keep an eye on them at night?"

Bea hummed in agreement and said, "Not a bartender. That's too obvious Bartenders come and go. You loved that job managing parties at that country club years ago, why not compel yourself the manager position here?"

Rigby smiled in response and sounded a bit more enthusiastic when she said, "Yeah, that sounds good. And sorry to say it, but you're going to have to be my little sister. You're younger looking than I am, but much less hot obviously. While I now resent the responsibility of being the first child, I honestly can't wait to have authority over you."

Bea snorted at the jibe but got back to their discussion.

"You okay with us using your original last name and being the Morris sisters? I was thinking you could still go by Rigby – after all, none of the Originals have ever heard of you. They didn't exactly have to keep tabs on me when that fucking hybrid _snapped my neck and threw me off a fucking bridge and –_."

She was cut off by the sound of her own snarling, but Rigby's exasperated mutter of "On with it" immediately snapped her out of her daze.

"So Rigby Morris for you. I was thinking Trixie Morris for me. It's close eno – "

Rigby immediately cut Bea off with a burst of surprised laughter. She seemed to try to calm herself down multiple times but couldn't settle down until two minutes later when she gasped, "Oh my god, we've found your pornstar name! _Trixie_? This is perfect!"

To her own horror, Bea was blushing horribly. Surprisingly, sex wasn't exactly her forte. It was – well. Rigby was the one who was good with computer and kept up with social issues. Obviously Rigby had noticed when Bea hadn't gotten laid in decades, but it wasn't until a few years ago that the term emerged. _Demisexual_. Basically Rigby suspected sexual attraction wouldn't emerge until she was attracted to someone's personality.

Which, uh – no.

But briefly she zoned out and thought back to the _multiple_ memories that proved she was _very_ capable of sexual attraction. Thank god Rigby hadn't gained her composure or she would have seen her expression as a dead giveaway for her thoughts.

"Fine. Marie Morris it is. Dear god, I don't know how I won't go insane with all of the high schoolers every day. I should probably look at the lesson plans of the old teacher."

Rigby nodded and said in a surprisingly casual tone, "Did you compel him to leave, or is he dead?"

Bea snorted and responded, "Don't worry your pretty little head. Mr. Hamilton is currently pursuing his dreams, which turned out to be living with his lover in Italy."

Rigby smiled wistfully.

"Lucky bastard."

* * *

Elena needed to leave the room and come up with a plausible excuse and make sure nobody suspected anything was wrong. And then she needed to call the woman who was in her phone as "B.".

Elena couldn't remember what she looked like, and didn't know _why_ she had to do these things. She only knew that any information about Klaus or the Originals she gained meant she had to make the call.

The first day of school was tomorrow, and she could honestly say she was dreading it. Prank had been – God, prank night had been a _nightmare_. But now Elena was home by herself and – _Elena had to make a call._

The phone was picked up after just two rings and she could hear a second woman laughing in the background.

"You called, sweetheart?"

It was said in a clearly condescending tone, and the amusement that leaked through was incredibly patronizing, but Elena spoke anyway.

"Klaus came back to Mystic Falls last night along with his sister Rebekah, who he apparently undaggered recently. Stefan – "

"Salvatore, correct? Former ripper, your long lost love who had been on the run making baby hybrids with Niklaus?"

Elena let out a breath as a pang of sadness hit her, but she continued informing "B" of what had happened.

"Stefan returned with them, and was compelled to turn off his humanity. Tyler Lockwood was turned into a hybrid after my blood was ingested. The blood of a doppelganger is needed for hybrids to finish the transition. Elijah wasn't with them and is probably daggered. There was no mention of coffins yet."

The woman at the other end laughed joyfully and Elena heard her relay to the second voice all that she had been told. A minute or so passed before she spoke to Elena again.

"Now you remember what you must do, correct?"

Elena nodded along and quickly said, "Call each time I hear any information about the Originals. If anyone mentions coffins, find out as much about them as I can. Erase all evidence of this call. Forget after each time we've spoken that I ever called you in the first place."

"Perfect. See you tomorrow, doppelganger."

Elena opened her mouth to ask why she would be seeing "B" the next day but her mouth suddenly closed a second later.

 _What had she been doing a second ago?_


	18. Chapter 18

_Hello everyone! From now on, each break constitutes a passage of time. The chapters won't be going episode by episode, so only a handful more until the Koltrix reunion. Things will be shifting away from canon soon! Please pitch in with a review to let me know how you're liking it. xx_

* * *

"I have just dealt with a large group of sprawling brats known as freshman. I trust that as seniors hoping to fulfill your art requirement, you'll behave slightly better."

The class laughed lightly and Bea shot them all a false smile. She looked out at the group of teenagers and immediately noted the supernaturals in her class. The blonde cheerleader vamp, the Bennett witch, the doppelganger, and the Ripper.

When she turned back to the board she pointed to the name she had written in the corner before addressing them once more.

"You can call me Ms. M" of course Bea could barely contain her laugh at the accuracy of this, "if you call me anything else you'll be cleaning paintbrushes at the end of the period."

They all nodded along but she already noticed that the doppelganger was mouthing off with the blonde and the witch. _Rude_. This stint as a teacher might be a part of an elaborate ruse meant to dupe the town, but Bea still felt a little annoyed that they couldn't pay attention to their fake teacher for more than two minutes into the first day of classes.

"Girls in the back, anything to contribute?"

The three immediately looked abashed and shook their heads, but Bea had already moved on to roll call. When the class was accounted for, she strode through the line of easels that had been set up and handed out pieces of charcoal.

"Today we'll be starting out simple so I can figure out differing levels of talent. At the end of class, if you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll be wandering about and keeping an eye on you all."

When Bea had reached the Ripper, _of course_ he took the opportunity to be a complete dick.

"Are you even old enough to be teaching? Under the lipstick and heavy eye makeup you look like you could be a student."

Fucking. Douchebag.

With a tight smile that morphed into a smirk, Bea kept her answer truthful when she said, "I turn 24 in April. It's nice to know that if I need any style tips I can turn to you."

A few of the kids called her over at different points for help, and compared to the freshmen she was actually somewhat enjoying the experience. Instead of squeezing her art in as a hobby while they traveled, Bea actually had the chance to work on her pieces and practice.

When she got the chance to sit down she reminisced about the time that her own humanity had been turned off. In truth, it had been turned off longer than it had been turned on.

Even when her humanity was turned off, Bea had always kept track of her descendants. Not for any sentimental reason – it just seemed prudent to ensure that her line continued. It was only when Jane Morris reached out and revealed that she had known all along that Bea was still around that she became involved.

Jane Morris was her niece, the oldest of Marie and Mark's children. And as a single mother with only one child, she was desperate for any kind of help when her own daughter – Rigby – was being driven insane by the visions of the spirits of their witch ancestors.

Bam. Insert vampirism.

Strangely enough, the Morris line hadn't been too pissed at their branch of the family for turning to a vampire. Bea had known that vampires and witches were supposedly mortal enemies, but she hadn't ever really bought into it. Neither had her extended family, evidently.

Two daylight rings later, Bea and Rigby set off into the world. The diamond and lapis lazuli ring that had been on her hand in 1914 was kept on a chain around her neck, but the subtle pretty bauble given to her by the Morris witch remained on her hand for the following decades. They'd had to promise to never return, which had torn Rigby up. But sanity was the better choice.

Teaching the snarky, upbeat woman how to live as a vampire was _fun_. Her immense joy at simple things had made Bea smile genuinely, and when Bea realized one day that her humanity had returned without her noticing, she wasn't bothered.

After all, bloodshed and chaos didn't become any less exciting with a little switch flipped on.

* * *

Bea stared down at the phone in her hand, a perturbed expression on her face.

"Rigby, we've killed countless supernatural beings in our time together, correct?"

The other woman snorted from where she laid sprawled across their couch and answered in an exaggeratedly slow tone, "From what I recall the majority have been at your hands, but yes. The dementia finally hitting you, centennial?

Without looking over to her, Bea picked up the nearest thing she could grab – a spatula, evidently – and hurled it at her friend. The indignant squawk she received in return was absolutely _wonderful_.

Bea strode over to the couch and sat on the opposite end of it, lifting Rigby's feet up before plopping them in her own lap. After flicking the bottom of Rigby's foot to get her attention off of the novel she'd been reading, Bea spoke once more.

"Apparently a bevy of supernatural creatures returned to life this past weekend, most of which had homicidal tendencies. The Ripper is chained up in the Salvatores' basement – which really will affect his attendance grade, truly I don't know how the little Scooby Gang intend to graduate on time – and still very violent and broody."

Rigby let out a long sigh and said in an exasperated voice, "That's not all, is it?"

"They also found a cave with Norse runes. The names of the Originals are listed, so they'll figure out Kol's name if they know how to use google - but it's including Mikael."

"Psychotic daddy Original whose undead wish is to kill all of his kids?"

"The very same."

Both of the women were silent for a minute, thinking through the events that Elena had filled them in on and trying to figure out the next step. Bea finally broke through the quiet.

"These insolent little teenagers probably want nothing more than to kill all of the Originals. Which quite frankly is very hypocritical considering they haven't even met Kol, and for all they know he could be a very sweet man."

Rigby nodded and said in an equally conversational tone, "True. They aren't aware that he's a homicidal maniac and that the two of you are a match made in hell."

" _Exactly!_ It's so offensive. But we're going to have to monitor this situation incredibly carefully. Kill Mikael without alerting anyone that we're here. Klaus will recognize me if we come across each other. It isn't every day that you kill your sister-in-law. At least, I assume."

They made eye contact and tried to keep straight faces, but inevitably burst into laughter. When they finally calmed down, Bea spoke again.

"Well, Kol made a surprisingly good impression on my sister and her husband. Hopefully his father will be equally charmed."

"Honey… no."


	19. Chapter 19

Bea stared at the hole in the wall that allowed her to see a spot in the next room over – Rigby's bedroom. Rigby was going to _kill her_.

To be honest, Bea was a bit surprised that it had only taken a minute for her very-broken hand to heal after it smashed through layers of plaster, beams, and wiring. Her arm had been through the wall nearly up to her elbow, and almost immediately after using her bedroom wall as a punching bag to vent her frustrations she'd let out a shriek of pain that nicely complimented the acknowledgement that she had made a bad decision.

It had been strange to Bea at first, when she discovered her strength as a vampire. She'd learned early on from the other supernatural beings she came across that the older the vampire, the stronger they were. Bea had been entirely convinced her own brawn was equal to that of others. That had changed when she had come across a two hundred year old vampire when she had only been turned for fifteen years herself. Overpowering the vampire had been fairly easy.

At that point, it had been apparent that something was quite _off_.

After regaining her memories, Bea had hypothesized a bit about her circumstances. She'd always assumed that her unique strength was due to something that had taken place during the five years she couldn't recall before she'd been turned.

And now Bea was fairly positive that was true.

She figured consuming what had to have been gallons of Kol's blood over the course of the three years leading up to her death had altered her in some way. In addition, she'd been turned with the blood of yet _another_ Original.

Her transition itself was unorthodox as well. The very moment Bea had woken up after being killed, she had instinctively swallowed the blood that had been drying in her mouth. Her own blood – the blood she had shed after biting her tongue when she'd been a human mere hours beforehand.

And thus she had become a vampire in broad daylight.

Which constituted _catching on motherfucking fire_.

Being directly next to the river where Klaus had disposed of her corpse was convenient. Having to stay in that river for the five hours until sunset was decidedly less convenient. Either way, the extra strength was something she would never complain about.

Well, except now. Because the hole in the wall she'd just made could quite possibly result in her death at the hands of her best friend, who would be getting off work in an hour.

Shit.

Home repairs couldn't be that difficult, could they?

* * *

"Bea, why did you hang a poster of the Beatles on my wall? I mean I get the joke, but you know I don't – _what the fuck did you do to my wall?!_ "

Bea flinched where she was sitting down at their kitchen table, trying to focus on the coffee in front of her instead of the sound of Rigby's shouting. It was well deserved anger, she knew this, but hanging up a poster over the gaping hole had seemed so much _easier_ than using all of the supplies the man at the hardware store had described.

Rigby stormed into the kitchen before throwing herself down in the opposite chair with a huff.

"You need a more constructive way to relieve anger. Killing and binging on B positive works when we're on the move, but you can't do that here without revealing yourself to the gang of adolescent supernatural creatures in the surrounding area. You should sign up for yoga. I do it every morning at that studio on Main Street."

Bea laughed and responded in an amused voice, "Well you also love the yoga-pants clad asses that bend into interesting shapes."

Rigby shrugged, completely unrepentant when she said, "Well obviously. I've had sex with two of the women in my class. And I told you that I'm starting to really like Tracy, she makes me laugh. And her downward dog is nothing short of a revelation."

They laughed lightly together and Bea felt a spark of happiness at her friend's words. Rigby had made it clear _multiple_ times that Bea had no reason to worry about her being bored or bothered by their time in this town. She was loving her job – only had two encounters with the alcoholic members of the Scooby Gang so far when she'd filled in for a sick bartender, gathering no suspicion – and now was starting to make connections.

Bea's life seemed to be at both a standstill and a rollercoaster. She was stuck in this town, unable to act until the time was right. But every time she ironed out a plan that could work in getting Kol back, one of the fucking supernatural high school students in Mystic Falls _fucked everything to hell_. The newest information she had received was the last straw.

"Well, we don't need to worry about Mikael killing Kol anymore. The Mystic Falls coalition killed him off."

Rigby looked surprised and immediately asked, "Wasn't the whole point of them waking him up for Mikael to kill Klaus?"

Bea nodded and had to loosen her fingers around her mug, whose porcelain was just barely beginning to crack. But she really couldn't help it – these fucking kids were ruining her afterlife. Bea was a simple woman.

Okay, that wasn't true at all. She was very self aware of the fact that she was at times a complicated super-bitch. But her _objective_ in this town was simple. All she wanted was to revive her husband out of his coma-like condition and be with him again. Revenge against Klaus and Elijah would be sweet, of course, but it wasn't a realistic goal of hers at this point. To be with Kol, she had to be alive. Going up against two Originals would be a death sentence, and she would never risk Rigby being harmed as collateral.

"The Copy-Kat told Rebekah that Klaus killed their mother, as if it was such a stretch, and then stabbed her in the back – literally. So she's out for the count. Homecoming was moved to the first baby hybrid's house, so it was very good that I turned down the chance to chaperone seeing as Katie showed up and could have given us away. Klaus is back in Mystic Falls, which means the coffins _would have been nearby too_ and bodes very poorly for me."

Rigby frowned and reached forward to grab Bea's mug, taking a long gulp of the coffee herself before answering.

"Care to explain the remark about the coffins?"

Bea bared her teeth and let out a low snarl, which only caused Rigby to raise a single eyebrow – an expression Bea was dreadfully envious of and couldn't replicate herself.

After quelling her mindless murderous rage to a more calculated state of homicidal urge, Bea let out a long breath and said, "The Ripper is no longer Klaus's bitch. So the little fucker took the coffins. A brooding, lovesick, pathetic little imitation of a Byronic hero has _MY FUCKING HUSBAND HIDDEN AWAY LIKE AN UNSIGHTLY PIECE OF FURNITURE!_ "

Bea's words had transformed into a shriek and she slammed her fist against the table, immediately causing it to break into kindling.

Rigby let out an exasperated sigh and said in a someone mournful tone, "At least I picked up the coffee. I really like this rug."

Bea threw her hands up and roughly ran her hands through her hair.

"I want to rip his limbs off. And gouge out his eyeballs only to feed them to him. I am going to –"

"Kill him, hurt him, etcetera. Correct?"

Bea became a little bit hurt at this point and to her shame tears of frustration and sadness filled her eyes. Her voice cracked when she asked, "Why are – why are you treating this like a joke?"

Rigby rushed over to her and immediately hugged her, squeezing tightly and rubbing her back.

"Hey, it's okay. I didn't mean it like that. But you aren't thinking about the long game, honey. That's what I'm here for. And I think it's going to work out for us even better than it would have if Klaus still had them."

Bea sniffed and swallowed heavily before whispering, "How?"

Rigby pulled back and had a threatening smile on her face when she answered, "Stefan Salvatore isn't Klaus's bitch anymore. But he _is_ Elena's. The doppelganger is going to know within days where they are. And then we retrieve Mr. Beatrix Lynch."

* * *

It wasn't as simple as that. Of course it wouldn't be. But only days after Elena informed Bea of Stefan's possession of the coffins, she called them once more to let them know that the coffins were being stored in the 'witch house'. Gaining directions had been fairly easy, and Bea and Rigby now stood just outside of the dilapidated cabin in the middle of the woods.

It seemed like the set of the horror films Rigby loved, and Bea was able to appreciate the irony of it. There _were_ murderous vampires within it, after all. But the two of them had been unable to enter. Being stopped just outside of the house was the last straw.

Bea had broken.

" _Please_. Please, let me see him. I won't – I won't do anything I swear, I just need to see him."

Bea was shaking andsobbing uncontrollably, and normally she would be humiliated at begging the ancestors of a line of witches for anything. But at this moment, she had lost all of her pride. Her dignity was unimportant. All that mattered was the fact that she could see the coffin holding her husband through a window only ten feet away, and she could do nothing.

Rigby was doing her best to make soothing sounds and comfort her, but nothing could stop the onslaught of devastation Bea was going through. She was _so goddamn_ close and was absolutely useless to Kol at the moment. There was nothing she could do, and it was her fault that she was powerless. Maybe if she had aided the Bennett line or –

"As the daughter of Jane Morris, I ask that you show us Kol Mikaelson."

Bea froze at Rigby's words and turned to look at her best friend, who was looking at the house with an even expression and spoke with a confidant tone. Before she could ask what it was Rigby was doing, she spoke once again.

"I was a member of the Morris line of witches. My ancestors were the ones who nearly drove me insane with visions of the future and my family gave their blessing that I become one of the undead to save my sanity. And so I ask that you show us Kol Mikaelson. I do not ask for entry and I acknowledge that I have no magic, but I ask that you give us this small mercy."

A silence rang out when Rigby finished speaking, and she turned her head so that she could presumably listen better. Bea didn't move or even breathe, not wanting to disturb the atmosphere. With no short amount of surprise in her voice, Rigby turned to her and looked absolutely shocked when she spoke to Bea.

"Well holy fuck, I didn't think it would work. We get a minute. And they won't let us remove them, but Bea, _we get a minute_."

When Rigby finished speaking, they both turned back to the house and watched as the lid to the coffin nearest to them seemed to open on its own.

Bea Mikaelson laid eyes on her husband for the first time in one hundred years.

* * *

 _No, Bea and Rigby won't be the two to remove the coffins from the witch house. But we WILL be hearing from a certain snarky, homicidal Original vampire whose dagger will be removed from his chest next chapter._

 _As always, please let me know what you think. xx Cheers_


	20. Chapter 20

_I couldn't wait to post it - I've had Kol's portion written for months. But don't get used to two updates in less than a few days! As always, please review xx  
_

* * *

"Stefan and Damon will be visiting Klaus and Elijah tonight, who Damon undaggered. They will be making a false truce to try to buy us time. They will be taking the daggers out of the rest of the Mikaelsons."

Damon felt his eyes widen when he walked by the doorway and heard Elena talking. For a second he didn't comprehend what she was doing – instead he thought it was weird that she was talking to herself. But then when he walked into the room he realized she was on the phone when the person on the other end let out an earsplitting, excited shriek and nearly incomprehensible exclamation of "oh my god, _yes_!".

"What the hell are you doing?"

Elena jumped almost a foot in the air and whirled around to face him after he interrupted her, hanging up in the same moment. When she spoke it was in a strange, monotonous tone that was at the same time absolutely insistent.

"I wasn't supposed to make the call where anyone could hear me. I need to erase all evidence of the call and forget that I made it."

When Elena immediately began fiddling with her phone, he realized that she was doing exactly that.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_. Elena was compelled. When the hell had that happened? Who had been able to get past all of them to get to her for whatever purpose?

Damon sped over to her and yanked the phone out of her hand. He saw that the 'recent calls' screen was displayed, but it didn't show anything more recent than a phone call to Bonnie she had made earlier that morning. She had already deleted the phone conversation she had been having. When Damon looked up, Elena was looking at him with a confused expression.

"Damon, why do you have my phone?"

Damon wanted to grab her by the shoulders and _shake_ her. He knew that whatever was happening wasn't her fault, but it was so fucking inconvenient. The very last thing they needed was somebody having control over Elena, especially when all of their plans to get rid of the Originals were becoming so complicated. The only bit of relief he felt was that she had been referring to Klaus and Elijah by name, so it wasn't either of them who had made Elena their puppet.

"Elena, you were compelled at some point."

Immediately she opened her mouth with a surprised and somewhat offended expression, but Damon cut her off and said, "You were just talking on the phone to someone and told them all of our plans. Then you said you had to erase the call and forget you made it."

Elena blanched and looked panicked when she said, "What did I tell them? What did I _do_?"

Damon saw that she was about to blame herself, so he reached forward and drew her into a hug as she started breathing more quickly. After a minute she gently shook him off and put on a determined expression.

"We should get everyone here, then figure out whoever it was that I was talking to."

Only twenty minutes later, almost everyone in on their plans was in the boarding house. They had scrolled through Elena's contacts and the only unfamiliar one was a number whose area code was for North Carolina, labeled "B".

With the speaker phone option turned on, they all crowded around as Elena clicked on the vague contact to dial them back.

The person on the other end of the phone picked up almost immediately, but didn't speak right away. Instead there were a few muffled thuds and wordless happy screams with two separate female voices laughing. However after only a few seconds the phone was evidently grabbed by the one who it belonged to.

" _Foutre le camp, chienne_! Yes, Miss Gilbert?"

Nobody spoke for a moment, and it was Caroline who finally whispered out, "I think she just called someone a bitch and told them to fuck off."

Obviously catching on that something was off with the conversation seeing as Elena hadn't spoken, the voice at the other end just let out a questioning hum to show her annoyance. It was Damon who wasn't able to hold back and began speaking.

"Who are you, and what do you want with Elena?"

The woman on the phone snorted derisively and didn't answer his question. Instead, the only thing they heard before the dial tone was the second voice in the background let out a mocking laugh.

This was bad. Damon knew it was bad. But at this point, they couldn't change their plans. They had to keep a close watch on Elena and make sure she was never alone in case this person stalking her tried to attack her. For now they had to focus on helping Elijah take the daggers out of the other Originals.

Later, they would all realize what a colossal mistake they had made when they had assumed "B" cared about Elena Gilbert at all.

* * *

Waking up after being daggered was not a pleasant experience.

Everything hurt. And holy hell did Kol feel groggy, almost as if he was drunk. That was even without taking into account the burning of his throat, which was not the best of feelings.

"What the bloody fuck…"

What was going on? Where was he? He couldn't remember yet what had happened before Nik had caught up with him somehow. Kol always liked having a plan, being a step ahead, and he loathed the strange vulnerability that came with being so incapacitated, even knowing that within minutes he would remember everything.

Of course when Elijah immediately spoke and proposed his idea, Kol was instantly on board with the plan to stab Nik. He couldn't think of an occasion when he _wouldn't_ want to stab Niklaus.

But after the brief bit of fun terrorizing his brother, when Kol had stepped away from Niklaus he was feeling a bit more rational as his thoughts finally began to straighten out and memories returned. He started to recall exactly what had happened, and who he had to reunite with immediately.

"How long was I daggered?"

The room was strangely quiet, and no one was meeting his eyes. Only now taking note of the two unfamiliar vampires in the room, Kol decided to speed up the whole getting-answers process so he could be on his way to his wife as soon as possible and quickly moved across the room to pin the darker haired one to the wall by his throat.

Staring into the man's eyes he asked, "What year is it?"

The vampire continued to struggle against his hold, batting at his arms in an attempt to escape. Based on the strength the man was putting into his efforts Kol guessed that he must have been between one hundred fifty to two hundred years old. And he was apparently somehow wearing vervain. Interesting. But no matter - crushing the vampire's windpipe seemed to be doing a well enough job to make him answer.

"Jesus, Elijah, can you call off your clone?"

A quick glance over his shoulder to his older brother revealed that Elijah had only raised an eyebrow in response to the question, and the dark haired man finally responded.

"I don't know how long you've been in the box, but it's the twenty first century, brave new world and all that."

Kol didn't even realize his grip had faltered until the vampire sped out of his hold. It was a new millennium. Fucking hell, he'd missed nearly a hundred years. And Bea…

"Where is Bea?"

Once again his question was met with a beat of silence. He glanced at Rebekah out of the corner of his eye and saw her baffled expression. She opened her mouth, most likely to sprout off some inane comment meant to insult him as per usual, but Elijah interrupted their exchange as he looked to the two vampires in the room that he didn't recognize.

"You may leave. This is a family matter."

The two men were gone in only moments, and the sound of the front door closing prompted Kol to turn back to his family. He was quickly growing both furious and impatient with Niklaus and Elijah's stalling, both of their expressions making it clear that they knew _exactly_ who he was talking about.

"Where is she? _I swear if you two have done anything to my wife -_ "

Rebekah let out a surprised sound, but all of it was drowned out when Elijah began speaking in a low, even tone that was obviously meant to calm the panic and rage that was beginning to manifest.

"Kol, we left her unharmed, but a century has passed. I'm sorry, but she – "

"No. _No_. Her brother-in-law is a warlock. Bea is alive. You've seen what magic can do. You _know_ that witches can make themselves live longer – decades longer. You've seen it…"

A note of desperation had entered his tone without his consent, and a sick feeling had started in his stomach. He felt nauseous and the strangest sensation of his throat tightening started. They weren't right - not Bea. She was alive, she had to be fucking alive. He was going to find her and they could run away, never to be separated again, and they'd be happy.

But this time it was Niklaus who spoke, ruining the fantasy he had begun hastily constructing in his mind to quell the hysteria that was growing inside of him.

"I checked up on her every once in a while. I'm sorry, but she died years ago."

The edge of his vision turned black. But a moment later, all he could see was red.

* * *

Elijah was struggling to hold Kol back, but even with Rebekah helping him their brother continued pulling from their grasps and escaping to further his animalistic, violently raging attack.

Klaus was pulling himself back through the hole in the wall that had been created when Kol threw him straight through it. It was – well, it was astounding the amount of strength Kol seemed to have. None of them had ever shown such a degree of power and Kol was holding his own against _Niklaus_ , who had successfully become a hybrid and should have been able to easily subdue him.

Kol's maniacal snarling hadn't ceased since Niklaus had revealed the death of his wife. Elijah felt a sharp stab of regret, not having known that Niklaus had been keeping an eye on the girl as her life passed. He only hoped her human life had been fulfilling. Kol's witch slaughters had become incredibly destructive, and Mikael would have been drawn to them in a few years, if that. It was necessary to dagger him for his own good. At least, that was what Elijah was trying to tell himself.

Watching Kol's reaction now was nothing short of sickening. Elijah had never seen him display this much emotion, and through the contorted expression of murderous rage he was fairly sure he could see the sheen caused by tears in Kol's eyes.

When Kol's growls ceased it was only for the moment it took to scream at him and Niklaus.

" _I am going to KILL you! I will tear you LIMB from LIMB and burn the pieces! YOU'RE the reason my wife is dead! I should have been with Bea and we –"_

When his voice cracked and his words cut off, it was even more jarring than the threats had been. Kol's face crumpled and he gritted his teeth to prevent what Elijah guessed were tears.

Niklaus flashed over to Kol during his moment of distraction and quickly snapped his neck before Kol could react. As they all stared down at his body, all was quiet. Finally it was Rebekah who broke the silence when she looked up to meet his and Niklaus's eyes.

"He truly was married to a human?"

Elijah nodded and inhaled deeply before speaking evenly on the exhale.

"Yes. Kol had to be stopped, for the sake of all of us. But there was nothing we could do about her. She was compelled to forget about him and then we left her to live out her human life."

Rebekah nodded at the answer and quietly said, "What was she like? How on Earth did she manage a relationship with – this is _Kol_."

Niklaus answered this time as he said, "Her name was Beatrix. She was a pretty little red head – Kol's usual type. But it appeared genuine. They were married for two years."

Rebekah seemed to deflate and sounded sincerely sad when she said, "You've taken love from me before. But Kol has always been alone. What you did to her, and to him – it seems much worse for some reason. You – "

Whatever it was she was going to say was cut off when out of nowhere, their mother glided into the room.


	21. Chapter 21

_Screw it. I was going to space it out, but I've decided to go ahead and post chapters for this story much more quickly than any other I've been working on. Honestly, I just feel like 'Koltrix' deserves for their story to be moved along._

* * *

Rebekah was the only one who watched it happen. And in the chaos that followed, she decided not to tell anyone what she had seen, having a strong suspicion that she knew what was going on.

Throwing a ball had sounded lovely in theory, but as it had played out Rebekah had only felt more and more upset, especially after Matt's behavior.

Kol was visibly miserable the entire time. The number of spells that their mother had placed on him was monumental. He had been unable to go near Klaus or Elijah, and had been in a near-drugged state of forced weakness, lethargy, and exhaustion. Asking him to kill Matt had prompted the first clear expression to show on his face –blood lust.

Rebekah knew he would be _humiliated_ later at having been thwarted by such a young vampire like Damon Salvatore, though of course Kol would have destroyed him if he was not under a multitude of enchantments. The Salvatore and the doppelganger had of course immediately made the action about them. It was only _Rebekah_ who had closely been watching Kol's body, feeling a bit of guilt at involving him in her plan only to bow out at the last minute.

Because of this, she alone saw clearly the events that followed.

The figure clad in all black that blurred by and grabbed Kol's body had to have been waiting outside the home the entirety of the night, or perhaps perched on the roof. The very second Damon had stepped back from Kol's body, her brother had seemingly vanished in a blur, and chaos erupted when no trail could be found.

But Rebekah knew what she'd seen. The figure had been a woman and just before she had sped out of sight, Rebekah had watched the front lights reflect off a curtain of strawberry blonde hair.

 _She was a pretty little red head – Kol's usual type._

She figured that anything was possible for a woman who had made Kol fall in love. Besides, this would certainly make things interesting in the boring little town of Mystic Falls.

* * *

The expected sharp ache let Kol know the moment he was conscious that just as he thought, his neck had been snapped. Damn it. And by a much younger vampire too. What was unexpected was the sensation of someone running fingers gently through his hair and the feeling of his head resting on someone's lap. It only took a fraction of a second to catalogue the scent of a woman's perfume and the slowed heartbeat of a vampire.

He decided the situation was a pleasant one. A crooning, hoarse voice was softly singing an unfamiliar French song that seemed like a lullaby.

 _On me dit que le destin se moque bien de nous_

 _Qu'il ne nous donne rien et qu'il nous promet tout_

However, the voice _was_ familiar, alerting him to the fact that he was dreaming. Though he wished he could remain suspended in this brief flash of paradise, he knew he had to wake eventually. Deciding that it would be less painful if he woke earlier as opposed to later, Kol reluctantly opened his eyes.

A curtain of red hair tickled his face and he had to blink a few strands out of his eyes before he could focus on the figure above him. Kol's entire world froze.

Bea was looking down at him, eyes shining with tears and wearing an expression of incredible vulnerability. Her singing had stopped, and in a choked whisper he could barely hear she said, "Hello again."

Kol had to be – she couldn't – this was a dream. Or perhaps he had gone as mad as people had always said he was. Flinging himself upright, he barely managed to avoid colliding with the apparition of his wife and now stood beside what he could see was the large bed he had been laying across.

Before he could say anything, tongue still weighed down with shock and disbelief, the woman sitting at the edge of the mattress cleared her throat and spoke quietly.

"I died a few hours after you were daggered."

After she finished her sentence, she broke down. Curling into herself at the waist and burying her head in her hands she began to sob. Over her harsh exhales and hitched breaths he was barely able to make out her anguished words.

"I didn't have my memories, I didn't know to look for you. I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry. Please forgive me. _P_ _lease._ "

There wasn't – this couldn't be Bea. They hadn't blood shared in the twenty four hours before he had been daggered. She was dead. But – _fuck. She was here_.

In that moment, Kol didn't give a fuck if he was insane or not, he was going to comfort what might be a hallucination. And Kol, well, to him it had been mere days since he was last with Bea, so he didn't have a second thought before quickly kneeling in front of her and making a hushing sound as he placed his hands on her knees.

God. Her knees. His hands were on her _knees_ and she was _here_ , his wife was _here_ and not dead. Bea was alive. Kol couldn't truly process what was going on in his mind – his thoughts were a string of incoherent disbelief alongside absolute awe. So instead he did what he had always done when confronted with his crying wife, and distracted her as best he could.

"Shh, it's alright, darling. Nothing to cry about. You know you look terrible when you cry."

His words had the desired effect and seemed to startle a strangled laugh from Bea as she wiped at the eye makeup running down her face. Kol nearly lost his balance when he suddenly found himself being pulled forward, Bea's nails digging harshly into his shoulders as she yanked him toward her and immediately wrapped herself around him tightly.

She was shuddering heavily and Kol realized that he was shaking as well, completely overwhelmed. His throat was tight and with each breath felt like he was being choked. Tears were building in his eyes but he was entirely unashamed. He had been fucking _ruined_. Absolutely _destroyed_ when he had been told he would have to live in a world without Bea, because even after meeting her for the very first time there had no longer been a world for him without her. And now she was returned to him.

Bea's tears had slowed and her sobbing had quieted, instead heavy breaths were pressed to his neck where she had buried her face. Kol knew he was holding her too tightly where his arms were wrapped around her torso, that she must be in pain and bruising – his thoughts halted.

 _Bea was a vampire._

This had always been their plan. The final outcome as they began their adventure with the rest of eternity spent together. Instead, an entire century of what should have been their life together had been stolen.

Kol began running his fingers through Bea's hair the way she liked with his nails lightly trailing her scalp. When he was finally able to clear his throat and produce more than a hoarse whisper he spoke in a quiet voice, trying to keep his tone gentle to avoid upsetting her further.

"I'm the one who has to be sorry. I wasn't there to protect you. I should have been there. After I was daggered – what happened?"

Bea began to lean back, but seemingly changed her mind and instead burrowed her face even closer into the junction where his shoulder met his neck. Whether it was because she didn't want to meet his eyes, or a simply longing for skin-on-skin contact, Kol was going to let her answer at her own pace. Bea's breathing was evening out, and after she inhaled and exhaled deeply a few times, she began to whisper just loud enough for him to hear.

"Elijah compelled me to forget about you" her voice went high and tight but didn't quite crack. Kol had to suppress a _snarl_ at the knowledge, but wanted to let her finish explaining. "He healed me without telling Klaus after I was hurt and thought he was sparing me."

A complete change in demeanor took over, and Bea's nails dug harshly into his back before she began hissing out the rest of her answer.

"Your charming half brother decided it wasn't _enough_. He came back later that night and snapped my neck."

Kol felt rage flood through him, instinctive and psychotically unhinged. His fucking brothers had the bloody audacity to look him in the eye and play the sympathetic angle when _they had murdered his wife._ He pictured Klaus's hands touching her skin, scaring her and _hurting_ her before he did the unforgivable -

Before Kol could act, Bea unwrapped her arms from around his neck and pulled back until her hands were lightly resting on his shoulders. Her eye makeup was ruined, smudging beneath her lashes, but the carefully nonchalant look on her face that signaled barely suppressed anger was incredibly familiar to him. After all, he had been on the receiving end of it countless times. However right now, there was nothing funny about the topic being discussed.

"Ironic that he is the reason I'm here when he wanted the very opposite. Even though he _fucked everything to hell_."

Kol was – god, he was feeling so _much_ \- nearly too many emotions at once. It felt strangely physical, as if his skin was too tight and he was going to split open. A somewhat delirious laugh left him at Bea's words. He couldn't help it – they were together again, 100 years later as vampires. Everything they had dreamed.

Bea's blank expression changed suddenly, and when she let go of his shoulders entirely and instead began twisting her fingers at the hem of her shirt he felt a pang of hysterical panic. Kol couldn't rationalize it, and he didn't want to, but there was this burning conviction in his mind that he had to be touching her. That if he let go of her or vice versa for even a minute she would disappear.

When she finally met his eyes he could see her desperation and nervousness as she said, "I swear I never stopped being yours. Even when I couldn't remember, I think I loved you. So I'm here, if you'll have me."

Kol almost snorted in disbelief, but her expression was vulnerable and unsure, so he refrained. _Of course_ he still wanted her. This was _Bea_ in front of him. A bit different, yes – he'd noted that her hair was nearly a foot longer than the last he'd seen her and the heavy, dark eye makeup was new. But she was the same woman, his wife, who he had vowed to love for eternity.

A sick sensation suddenly made its way into his stomach when a repulsive thought began coiling around his brain. Bea hadn't remembered him. He knew that she had never been in another relationship besides their own, but who was to say that she hadn't been courted countless times in the last century. Kol couldn't allow himself to contemplate the subject too deeply, not wanting to ruin their reunion, but asked in what he hoped wasn't too obviously hostile a tone, "So there is no one else right now I have to off for your affection?"

Bea looked absolutely frantic when she shook her head harshly back and forth. Her voice was thin but didn't break when she immediately said in a rush, "No, no, no. Just you. I just want you."

Less than a second later Kol had leaned forward and grabbed her hips, pulling her to the edge of the mattress so that he was kneeling between her parted thighs. Without giving her a second to adjust, Kol _finally_ did what his mind had been screaming for him to do since the second he had seen her.

He pressed his lips to hers harshly, and immediately began kissing her deeply as she pressed one hand to the back of his neck and twisted the other through his hair, pulling him impossibly closer. She was real. Bea was alive and as they quickly settled into their familiar rhythm of lips, teeth, and tongues Kol felt a part of him settle back into place. Loving her was a part of his identity –he was more than Kol, he was _Kol who was in love with Bea._

When he broke the kiss they were both breathing heavily, lips still glancing off each other. Kol moved and began trailing his mouth all over her face, placing feather-light kisses on her cheeks, jaw line, and eyelids. He needed to touch every bit of her.

Bea tipped her head back and Kol took the opportunity to kiss down her neck. When he bit down hard on her skin with blunt human teeth she let out a happy, content sigh, as if he had placed a light kiss. In contrast to the sweet noise she'd made, her hand moved from his neck to his shoulder and tightened its grip to the point that he felt her nails break his skin as blood began seeping into his shirt.

 _Fuck_ , he loved this. The sheer physicality of the way they had always been in bed together. Kol had always been torn in the best of ways – wanting to treat Bea gently, but also wanting to _claim_ her. To bite, snarl, and fuck her so she could feel him for days. And the way Bea reacted to both made it clear that she was just as enthusiastic for one as the other.

He needed her right now. They had to be connected in every kind of way, and Kol had to try to rein in the urge to tear into her and leave his mark. Blood lust, sexual lust, and all-consuming, violent love were at war. He wanted to trail his fingers over every inch of Bea and get beneath her skin, poison her bloodstream, wrap himself around her very bones.

After biting harshly at her, Kol pressed wet kisses up her neck until his mouth was on the hollow beneath her ear, a spot that had always been incredibly sensitive. Kol simultaneously moved forward so his groin was pressed firmly against the place between her thighs.

Just as he moved his hips against her and made her breath hitch with a small sound at the back of her throat, he began speaking in a falsely conversational tone with his lips lightly touching just below her jaw.

"If I hadn't been in that coffin I'd have wrenched the world apart to find you. Torn everyone who stood between us limb from limb. I want to shred the neck of everyone who touched your skin when I was gone. Torture those who got to look at you without knowing that you were _mine_."

Kol punctuated his last word with harsh thrust, making it very clear how aroused he was. Bea let out a quiet, high pitched whine when he rutted against her and he felt more than heard her slight change in breathing.

When he pulled his face back to begin kissing her once more he stopped completely.

The veins beneath Bea's now-red eyes were dark and saturated with blood while her fangs were on full display with every panting breath she took. Kol could barely _breathe_ he wanted her so badly. What she said next with a smile, however, made his brain go utterly silent.

"We can do it together. I want to destroy _everyone_ that ever hurt you."

Of course he couldn't _not_ kiss her senseless after Bea said such a beautifully bloodthirsty statement. His own fangs descended and he felt the harshness of their kiss increase tenfold. When Bea bit down on his lip hard enough to pierce it and draw blood he couldn't hold back his low groan. Instead of continuing to bite at him, Bea instead pulled back just slightly to begin lightly lapping at her mark with her tongue – a complete switch from the violent, frantic movements from just a moment before.

While Bea began firmly kissing him once more, Kol ran his hands up both of her thighs. When he had trailed his hands up over her hips and to her sides, he suddenly lifted her up before throwing her onto the bed so she landed on her back.

A burst of startled laughter left Bea and Kol knew an enormous grin was covering his own face. He moved onto the bed slowly and settled down between her legs, not quite able to press his crotch against her pelvis if he wanted to be able to kiss her. It was a familiar frustration – their immense height difference – but it was the familiarity that made Kol let out a low laugh.

Bea was smiling up at him, but he watched her expression shift into something a bit softer. She lifted one of her hands and traced his features with a feather-light touch. With no small amount of wonder in her voice she whispered quietly in a somewhat disbelieving tone.

"You're really here, aren't you? I get to have you again."

Kol immediately felt overcome with tenderness and bent down to lightly run his nose along her cheek, nuzzling into her hand when he responded affectionately.

"I'm here, love. You found me."

* * *

 _We finally got to see them reunite! Please review to let me know if anyone saw it playing out this way, what you thought of the reunion and the reactions of Bea and Kol, etc._

 _The next chapter is a continuation of this scene from Bea's point of view. BUT it is fairly explicit. At this point PLEASE review to let me know if I should tone it down and post the M version separately, or if I should move the rating for this story up._


	22. Chapter 22

_After a ton of thought, I decided to keep this chapter and up the rating. So this is the chapter that has officially pushed this story's rating up to **M**. This is basically really long, heartfelt smut. Plot will resume next chapter!_

* * *

Kol's weight was pressing down on top of Bea. The solid feeling of his body pushing hers into the mattress was the only thing grounding her to reality – convincing her that somehow, her plan had _worked_.

It had been absolutely torture knowing that Kol was no longer in his coffin, but also knowing that she couldn't go to him. Bea knew that her timing had to be nothing short of perfection.

There had been no way for her to attend the ball the Mikaelson family was throwing, that was absurdly obvious. Bea was no fool. She be drawing attention to herself, what with the self-centered Mystic Falls teenagers immediately jumping to the conclusion that their teacher could _only_ be a suspicious individual if she – God forbid – had a social life.

They would be correct, of course, but it was still irritating.

Sitting on a fucking _roof_ for hours while listening to a party going on wasn't exactly a thrilling evening, but the knowledge that Kol was only feet away from her had kept Bea on edge. The moment she had overheard Kol's voice near the very balcony she was perched over, the world had stopped.

The brief glance the ghosts of the witches had given her had not been nearly enough to tide her over in the time that had remained before she could be properly reunited with her husband.

But now he was _here_ , right here, and she would be damned if she ever let them be parted again.

Falling into their long-since-perfected rhythm of kissing and grinding against one another was a comfort in and of itself. It seemed as though growing used to one another in bed would have made it less exciting somehow, but it had been the opposite. Kol still surprised her when they had sex, and she knew that she could do the same, but they had learned each other. Learned where to touch, what felt the best – it made every time feel like a confirmation of how well they worked.

Kissing Kol again was wonderful, but now it was starkly different and Bea was nothing short of thrilled to get to explore how things would change. After all, each time Kol licked her fangs she felt the ache between her legs grow even more impossibly hot.

Bea was unable to hold back and just a moment later canted her hips up to grind herself against his stomach as she wrapped her legs around his torso completely, crossing her ankles at the small of his back.

Kol let out a low grunt and kissed her harder than he had been just a second ago. With a feeling between disappointment and excitement, Bea turned her face so their lips no longer touched as she leaned in and let her lips lightly brush against his ear.

"Can I taste you?"

Kol immediately drew back from her and propped himself up on his elbows. A wide, cocky grin covered his face and he raised his eyebrows when he easily responded, "Only if I can."

Bea could barely keep herself from _shuddering_. Everything Kol did that had turned her on was magnified beyond belief when his face was shifted to show the monstrous side they now both disguised. The blood that saturated his eyes paired with his fangs was enough to put her on the edge of panting. Bea would be embarrassed about it, but she had seen his reaction to her own vampire features.

Bea smiled up at her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down closer to her so she could trail her mouth along his neck. She didn't immediately pierce his skin, instead Bea lightly scraped her fangs against the strained tendon that now stood out. Each time her teeth made contact with his neck, Kol let out a harsh exhale.

When Bea finally bit down hard just over Kol's carotid artery, he groaned in a manner that was more a snarling hiss than anything else. She let out her own appreciative groan the moment his blood flowed into her mouth.

He tasted _incredible_. It was beyond anything else she had ever experienced in her century as a vampire. Bea had only ever tasted human blood, but this was more than just a flavor. She immediately felt as though Kol was a part of her, inside of her in more ways than one.

Her moment of near-ecstasy was amplified when just after her first few gulps from his neck, Kol moved one of his arms from beside her head and reached down between them. Before she could even comprehend that he had moved, Kol shoved his hand between her legs and rubbed his palm against her. _Hard_.

Bea wrenched her teeth from Kol's neck more sloppily than she had intended and she saw the bite mark become ragged around the edges. She couldn't focus too much on that, however, instead completely overwhelmed as she cried out in a high voice, " _Mon dieu_!"

Kol met her gaze and looked absolutely wicked as he looked down at her. Bea could feel the blood seeping from the corners of her mouth and dripping down her chin onto her neck and watched as his own eyes following its path.

Kol's hand once more pressed harshly against her, but in the same second he leaned down and began gently licking the blood from her chin, offsetting the rush of lust with an equal measure of tenderness. Without meaning to, Bea felt her fangs retract and her face slip back into its human appearance. When Kol began licking messily at her lips Bea laughed and bit down jokingly on his tongue.

Kol pulled back and looked mockingly outraged as he moved his hand up from her heat and instead gripped her hip, but Bea interrupted him before he could act theatrically offended, as she knew he would.

"I love you."

Kol started completely at her abrupt words, and all joking fell from his expression as he looked down at her. His fangs receded, mimicking her own human visage, and the hand that was still beside her head shifted to brush back her hair slowly.

Kol's smile was earnest, a private smile that Bea knew only she got to see. When he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss, it felt more intimate than anything they had done since they had first begun kissing after their reunion.

He pulled back slowly, and only after ensuring that Bea was meeting his eyes, Kol whispered back, "I love you, too. As long as we both shall live. I suspect you're going to be stuck with me for quite a while."

Bea let out a laugh that effectively broke the serious mood, unwrapping her legs from around him and shoving at his shoulders until he moved back and was kneeling. Immediately Bea sat up herself and began unbuttoning his shirt, but Kol soon waved off her fumbling fingers to do it himself. With her hands unoccupied, Bea lifted her own long sleeve t shirt off over her head and deftly reached around to take off her bra. As entertaining as it might be to see Kol attempt to wrestle with this century's bras, she was far too impatient for the both of them to be naked.

As Kol finished unbuttoning his shirt, Bea worked to unbuckle his belt, purposely brushing her fingers against his cock to hear the snarled curses he uttered in response. Just as his belt was removed, Kol pushed Bea back down onto the mattress, moving her backwards until she was splayed against the pillows at the head of the bed.

Bea opened her mouth to protest at the simply unacceptable amount of clothing Kol still wore, but was silenced just a second later when he stripped himself out of his shirt, revealing his chest and stomach fully.

 _Oh_. Bea suddenly remembered that yes, she _had_ always been partial to the v-shaped lines of muscle on her husband's lower stomach that led to his –

"Bea, love, I'm feeling quite objectified at the moment."

Bea looked back up at Kol's face and saw the cocky, expectant expression on his face. Of course she couldn't let him get away with his blatant teasing, especially when she was sprawled half naked beneath him, so she did what she knew would drive him absolutely mad. She feigned indifference.

"Don't worry sweetheart, there really isn't all that much to look at. It's a good thing I'm with you for more than just your looks, let me tell you –"

Her words were immediately transformed into a strangled cry when Kol blurred down to simultaneously shove his thigh between her legs to grind up against her and pin both of her arms over her head, completely trapping her.

" _Merde_! Jesus, fuck!"

Kol was evidently not going to let her off easily, however, and he immediately moved his thigh against her once more while brushing his lips along her ear to ask, "What is it you wanted?"

Bea tried to speak but couldn't find the words to say when he gripped both of her wrists with just one hand and used the other to trail down her body. Kol only ran his hands over her breasts for a moment, evidently remembering that her nipples had never been all that sensitive, and instead traced his fingertips in nonsensical patterns lightly just over the waist band of her leggings.

Kol allowed his fingers to dip just below the edge of her leggings on her hip and he continued speaking in a voice that practically dripped lust.

"Really, I think you should ask politely for what you want."

Bea could only shakily breathe out a string of words as she tried rolling her hips up when she said, "Please, I want you."

Kol's lips moved from her ear down her neck and he lightly nipped at her skin, not giving in to her just yet.

"Please _what_ , Beatrix?"

Bea broke. There was no other word for it. Her words were barely more than a babble as she answered, "Whatever you want. I swear, anything you want."

Kol immediately released her hands and moved down her body, peeling off her leggings and letting out a pleased but quiet, "fuck" when he saw her lace thong.

When he had tossed her leggings off to the side of the bed, he looked up to Bea with a wide grin and said, "I can truly appreciate this century's undergarments."

Bea let out a laugh and a rush of extreme happiness overtook her. God, she had missed Kol. Missed _this_. The way they were together. Slow, tender, and loving sex some nights. Lust-filled, hungry _fucking_ others. But they were always just _Bea and Kol_. They could fight and laugh in bed, because at the end of the day they were in love. Kol was a part of her, and she knew that she was a part of him.

Her thoughts focused back on her husband a split second later however when Kol pushed her legs apart and began kissing up the inside of her thigh. Bea's breathing became heavier, but when he paused his journey and began laving his tongue over a specific patch of skin half way up her thigh, Bea realized what he was doing.

She propped herself up on her elbows and looked down at Kol, who was tenderly stroking his thumbs along her inner thighs on either side of his mouth as she propped her thighs open. He had an open expression on his face, and although he was still teasing her, she saw his seriousness when he asked, " _Anything_ I want?"

Bea nodded and stroked a hand through his hair before she lightly replied, "I've already taken a bite out of you – it was sweet of you to let me go first."

Kol nodded in mock solemnity, "I am nothing if not a gentleman."

Without further warning, Kol's fangs descended and he bit down on her femoral artery. Bea let out a harsh breath of both pain and pleasure – sharp teeth piercing one's flesh wasn't exactly soothing, but the knowledge that Kol was feeding from her made a sharp spike of arousal pulse through her.

After a minute or two, Kol pulled back and immediately hooked his fingers through the edge of her underwear, pulling them off and moving off the bed to shed the rest of his own clothes. Standing beside the bed, Kol looked down at Bea with an expression that made her squirm. In a low and rasping voice he said, "You're bloody _perfect_ , Bea Mikaelson."

A small whimper escaped her throat – the bastard knew that she had a weakness for being called that – but at the same time, a familiar and fucking irritating bit of self consciousness hit her.

God fucking damnit. Bea knew, she _knew,_ that Kol was attracted to her. When he had discovered her streak of self-consciousness regarding her scarring he had gone out of his way to make sure it was something she understood. But even without the knowledge of a spouse who had often seen her naked, Bea had been insecure about her body the entirety of the last century. _Especially_ the last few decades.

She was being annoying. And fishing for compliments. And acting like an insecure mess when she should be reveling in their time together, but god she really couldn't hold back a self deprecating laugh.

"Not by this century's standards."

Her tone was half-lighthearted, but of course Kol immediately picked up on the very real negativity behind it. And in response, he looked absolutely shocked.

"You must be joking. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

Bea rolled her eyes, feeling better at the knowledge that her husband was still as attracted to her as she was to him. Her next words were much more detached, meant to brush off her previous statement, but instead had the opposite effect on the conversation.

"Small breasts and wide hips are hardly in fashion this decade."

A slow smile spread across Kol's face, one that signaled the fact that his following words were most likely going to cause a blush to cover her face. His expression became downright predatory, and Bea edited her previous thought. His next words were going to be filthy, and her blush would most likely cover her entire body.

"Well, love, I'm quite certain this decade's humans must be simply daft. Your breasts are a vision, _especially_ when I get my mouth on them. Sometimes I want to spend hours on them, mapping them out with my hands, my teeth, my tongue."

Kol had climbed back onto the bed and settled between her legs. In contrast to his explicit words, his hands were nothing short of leisurely as they trailed up and down her skin.

"I've no idea who would dare think your hips aren't a godsend – fantastic at spreading your thighs for me, letting me fuck you with my tongue for hours. Absolutely perfect for me to grab so I can hold you still when I bend you over and fuck you from behind so deeply you _scream_."

Bea's brain had essentially given up. There weren't any coherent sentences coming to mind. All that remained was a litany of _yes yes yes mine_.

Bea immediately gripped his shoulders and pulled him up so their bodies were aligned. It meant she couldn't kiss his lips, unfortunately, due to the fact that he was nearly a foot taller than her, but Bea made do with tilting her head back and placing a gentle kiss on the thin skin just below Kol's jaw. Letting out a low hum, she ran her mouth gently over the same spot and exhaled out a quiet "I love you." Kol shifted his hips and Bea felt his cock pressing against her. He bent his head down in response to her words and kissed her hair. With an equally soft, "I love you, too" he thrust into her with a single, smooth motion.

Fuck. Bea involuntarily felt her body go rigid, and a tight, hurt sound escaped her throat. God, she really hoped Kol didn't –

"What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Kol had propped himself up so he could meet her gaze, pushing himself up on one elbow while his other hand reached behind her to rest on the headboard. He'd begun to pull out of her and was holding himself still and speaking in a low, worried voice.

Bea felt utterly humiliated. She – god. She really needed him to keep going and pretend nothing was out of the ordinary. As much as she was loathe to admit it, Bea was nervous. She hadn't had sex in one hundred years. For Kol it had been mere days.

"Nothing is wrong. Get back to it!"

Bea paired her put-upon light tone with a swift kick to the back of his thigh with her heel. But Kol was still looking into her eyes and able to see through her. His expression grew confused, and as he opened his mouth to continue , she cut him off in what she knew to be an incredibly defensive tone.

"I'm _fine_. I haven't done this in a century, my cunt is out of practice."

The cracking of the headboard splintering inches from her head was matched by Kol making a sound that seemed as though she had torn it from his throat with her bare hands.

"Holy – _fuck_. _Fuck_ , Bea. You haven't – fucking hell."

Bea narrowed her eyes at him and shifted her body. Finding that the sting had faded almost entirely, she pushed her hips up against his and tightened her grip on his shoulders, drawing blood with her nails. When she spoke challengingly, it was practically a dare.

"No, I haven't. There's a slew of new words for different sexualities, I'm one of them. Now are you going to have sex with me, or –"

Her words were cut off when Kol let out a low growl and thrust back into her harshly, turning her words into a strangled cry.

"Bea. I am feeling _incredibly fucking possessive_ right now."

But before Bea could formulate any kind of teasing response, Kol pulled out and repeated his actions. The only sounds she could make were high pitched shouts and whimpers around the heavy panting her breathing had been reduced to. Every time he rolled his hips into hers the slapping sound of their bodies colliding made the heat in her belly grow even hotter.

The slow, relaxed mood from before had vanished entirely, and Bea couldn't find it in her to miss it _at all_. Kol moved the hand beside her head and twisted his fingers through her hair, pulling it lightly so her head was tilted backwards, baring her neck and allowing him to tilt his own head down to kiss her. It was an awkward angle, but as he licked into her mouth and seemed to want to taste all of her, it seemed like a 'welcome home'. Their kissing soon turned into an equal balance of teeth and tongues, and each time Kol pounded into her she cried out against his mouth.

Her entire body felt like a live wire. When Kol began grinding against her at the end of every thrust, Bea had to break the kiss to gasp hoarsely.

Bea wanted – _needed_ more. When she began shoving lightly at his shoulders, Kol immediately backed up off of her and sat back on his heels. When she began turning onto her hands and knees Kol knew what it was she wanted, and just a moment later reached out to grip her hips before flipping her over.

He was back inside of her just a second later, thrusting so deeply that she couldn't hold back her babbling as she arched her back to create the best angle. French and English swears were punctuated with groans and grunts that vaguely resembled Kol's name.

Soon Bea was unable to hold herself up on her hands, so she reached forward to grip the damaged headboard. Kol released his hold on her hips and bent down, pressing the length of his chest against her back. He extended his right hand to fold over hers on the headboard but wrapped his other arm around her middle, pulling her tightly against him as he slowed down the speed of his thrusts.

Kol was no longer frantically pounding into her, instead he used the arm wrapped around her to tilt her pelvis in turn with the slow undulation of his own hips. This position had always been one of Bea's favorites. With his height, Kol was able to curl over her entirely, and when his body bracketed hers she felt safe, protected – cherished.

"Oh god, please, please, Kol, _please_."

Of course he knew what she was begging for. Kol let out a low laugh, but his voice sounded absolutely wrecked when he whispered against her ear, "Of course, darling."

With that, he moved the hand pressed to her stomach to the apex of her thighs. When he found that perfect, perfect spot and began rubbing her deliciously in time with his thrusts, Bea felt her orgasm building.

Kol let his lips trail over the shell of her ear as the aching pressure kept building, praising everything about her in a reverent tone. The tenderness of his words complimented the sensations his body was creating, and only a minute or two later Bea let out high whimper that turned into a gasp as she reached her peak.

As Bea came down from her high, Kol picked up the pace once more and after a minute of quick thrusts he buried his face against her shoulder and groaned, finishing inside of her.

They were both breathing heavily as he pulled out of her but stayed in the same position, and after regaining his breath, Kol began pressing light kisses against her neck.

"Fuck. Love you, Bea."

Bea let out a tired, relaxed laugh. She was entirely sated and quite honestly – exhausted. Her day had been an emotional roller coaster, and now she was ready for bed.

Bea lowered herself onto the mattress and Kol did the same, laying on his back. Bea grabbed the sheets that had been discarded onto the floor and pulled them onto the bed as she snuggled up beside him. She rested her head against his chest and began tracing nonsensical designs over his skin. The two laid in silence, but after a minute Kol grabbed her hand and tangled their fingers together.

Bea looked up and made eye contact, seeing his soft expression and knowing it was a reflection of her own.

"Love you, too. Glad to see we've still got it. I'd been worried that after a century in a coffin you wouldn't still be fantastic in the sack. Thanks for proving me wrong, Mr. Mikaelson."

Kol began laughing, completely without reservation or any sort of front. Bea would _never_ take that laugh for granted ever again.

"My pleasure, Mrs. Mikaelson. Now, you look like you're about to pass out. We should sleep. By the way, your eye makeup is smudged to the point that you look a bit like a raccoon."

Bea let out a yawn and half heartedly smacked his chest, muttering out a bland insult. However tired she felt, she couldn't relax completely. Biting her lip, she looked him up and down with a worried expression. Kol, however, proved once again how well he knew her when he interrupted her anxious stream of thoughts.

"I'm not going anywhere, love. I'll still be here in the morning if you promise you will as well. Now sleep."

Bea felt her throat tighten up, overwhelmed. She was so, so _happy_. But also worried and still angry at Kol's brothers. However she knew that nothing more could be resolved tonight, so she forced herself to release her tension and sunk deeper into his embrace.

"I promise. Love you. G'night."

Just as she began drifting off, Kol suddenly let out a curious huff and sat up, causing her sputter and roll off of him.

"Darling, where the hell are we?"


	23. Chapter 23

Kol was very, very naked.

This was not how he had planned on meeting the best friend Bea had been going on about all morning, but the woman had walked into the apartment without knocking, so what was he to have done?

Of course she _did_ live here, so it wasn't truly her fault.

But Kol figured he might as well get on with it. And if he wanted to make her uncomfortable for his own entertainment it was all well and good, right? Considering she lived with _Bea_ the woman was more than likely used to being messed with. Acting as though nothing unusual was going on he took a sip of his coffee – fuck, the drink was so much better this century – and nodded in her direction before saying politely, "Rigby, is it? I've heard so much about you."

The woman in front of him burst into snorting laughter and waved her hand in his general direction before speaking.

"My own love life might have recently taken a turn for the worst, but you've got nothing I haven't seen and been indifferent to, Mr. Bea"

At that moment Bea walked into the room, stretching her arms out over her head and yawning while wearing nothing but a pair of sleep shorts and his button down from last night's ball. Both fresh and dry blood were staining the collar of the shirt from the bite mark where he had been drinking from her this morning and the blood that had pooled on her neck after it had gushed from his own veins. Bea's hair also had an astronomical amount of the liquid drying in it – surely it would be more difficult to comb the snarls out now than it used to be when she kept it much shorter.

And shit, she always pouted at him until _he_ untangled it for her. Kol was sure that today would be no exception.

But she was _gorgeous_. Everything Bea did now seemed endlessly fascinating and amazing to him after he had gone days thinking she was dead. Though to be fair, Kol might have also been a bit biased about the perfection of her appearance this morning considering it practically announced what they'd just been doing in her bed. He had always been a possessive asshole.

But who could blame him? He was pretty fucking proud of the fact that he had kept her on the edge of an orgasm until she _cried_ , licking at her cunt the way she liked but without enough pressure to make her come. Kol loved being kept on the edge, but Bea could very quickly grow impatient and genuinely pissed off. Bea had torn into his neck viciously afterword, but it had seemed she counted them as even seeing as she'd gently licked the wound clean once she was sated.

And if she ever really wanted him to stop he would be able to tell. When Bea had been switching between screaming insults and almost sobbing while begging she hadn't once even begun to push him away or actually purposely harm him in any way. He could, however, feel the blood drying on his own scalp where she had scratched it to hell while trying to pull him closer to grind against his tongue.

It wasn't _nice_ obviously, to purposely frustrate her and make her angry during sex, but Kol was incredibly pleased with every violent show of temper she displayed – it proved that she was still the same bloodthirsty, twisted little lover he'd fallen for and married. He'd _known_ even when Bea was human and had at first been hiding behind her pleasantries and politeness – albeit poorly – that there was something special about her. She and him were the _same_.

Bea was a part of him. Kol didn't believe in pagan or Judeo-Christian gods, but he _did_ believe in fate. And he knew without a doubt that Beatrix Lynch had been made for him, or perhaps he had been made for _her_. Bea was more sensitive than him and a bit more soft, much more prone to embarrassment or petty anger, but they both had the devil in them.

It wasn't to say that they were evil. No, Bea had cured him of that notion with her gleeful enthusiasm towards reaping every experience she could from life. It didn't matter how dark her morals were or how sharply vicious her anger could turn – Bea wasn't a blight on this earth. She was someone who should be _worshipped_.

However, Kol was pulled from his wandering thoughts by Bea herself, who spoke as she walked around the side of the island counter in the kitchen. It was very clear the moment she saw his lack of clothing.

"Rigby, this is Kol. You've both heard me yammer on about each other and – _what the fuck Kol! Oh my god, PUT ON SOME PANTS!_ "

Bea was clearly not as amused by the state of his undress as he was at the moment, but he noted that Rigby's expression was still unbothered and now looking more like she was suppressing laughter than anything else. Kol saw that Bea was beginning to blush, and was sharply reminded of the many occasions when she had been human that he had been sure to say ludicrously crass things in public to get to witness her shrieking and apologies on his behalf.

It was nothing short of hilarious.

"Now, love, I really don't see why you're upset with me. Especially after I spent the last half hour with my mouth between your le –"

Bea rushed over to him in less than a blink of an eye and slapped her palm over his mouth, a look of mortified shock on her face. However, instead of continuing to yell at him, Bea quickly looked over her shoulder and spoke to Rigby.

"I am so sorry. I wish I could say he isn't usually like this, but…"

She trailed off and seemed to be struggling to find words. A second later Bea evidently gave up on salvaging the situation and shrugged, retracting her hand and turning to face Rigby before saying in a resigned voice, "But you should probably get used to it. He's always like this."

Kol wrapped his arms around her from behind and put on an overly-affectionate tone while planting a loud, smacking kiss on her cheek.

"I love you, too, darling."

Rigby just let out a loud, mocking sigh at their display and walked over to the cabinet, pulling out a mug and pouring herself the last of the coffee.

"Christ, you're going to be disgusting to be around, aren't you?"

Kol smiled widely but most of his joking left his voice when he squeezed Bea to him more tightly and said, "Quite right. Now, what is there to do for fun in this town where there is no chance of me running into my siblings?"

To his confusion, both Bea and Rigby let out dramatic groans of despair and began talking at once.

"No offense, love, but your hometown is so fucking boring – "

"Honestly, you two will probably have to stay inside to be safe – "

Well. Staying inside for a weekend with his newly-reunited wife wasn't exactly a hardship. Kol was _quite sure_ they could find things to do in the mean time.

Preferably each other.

As Kol turned and walked out of the kitchen to the bedroom, intent on pulling back on his trousers, he was barely able to make out Rigby's whisper aimed at Bea.

"Hey babe, you've got cum in your hair."

The shattering of something thrown at the wall was a sound Kol himself was very, _very_ familiar with.

* * *

In retrospect, Caroline realized that there had been a ton of clues right in front of them. But Ms. Morris had seemed so _normal_. Any eccentric behavior they'd all chalked it up to the fact that she was an art teacher. And she wasn't anywhere near as weird as their last teacher. What made it even more difficult to reconcile their discovery was that almost everyone _liked_ her. She was young, sarcastic, and let everyone swear and leave early if they put what she deemed enough work into their art pieces.

Okay, the muttering in French whenever a student seemed to be slacking off was something that Caroline was a little embarrassed she hadn't immediately made a connection for. But it wasn't until the Monday after the Mikaelsons' ball that Caroline, Bonnie, and Elena realized who their teacher was. All it took was Ms. Morris calling out of a single, short sentence.

Elena was speaking quietly, trying to whisper considering their teacher seemed to hone in on anyone who wasn't focusing on their assignment. Currently they were using black ink to draw trees. The very first day Ms. Morris had stressed the fact that trees were often gnarled, deceptively ugly things and she didn't want to see any perfect renditions.

"The Mikaelsons still don't know where the other brother is. He wasn't involved in Esther's plot, he didn't even show up when Elijah and Klaus confronted her."

Bonnie flinched and Caroline reached over to squeeze her hand subtly. Elena was a good person and tried to be a good friend, but when the supernatural became a bigger and bigger part of their lives Caroline knew it sometimes seemed to Bonnie like Elena's happiness and human life was at the expense of others. Caroline sometimes felt that way, too, though she always tried to crush the idea. Bonnie was quiet today – understandably – so Caroline took it upon herself to keep the conversation going.

"He seemed sort of… unpredictable."

Stefan chimed in at this point, unhelpful and a little sarcastic as was now usual for him.

"He's insane. Everything anyone knows about the Originals points to Kol Mikaelson being an unhinged maniac."

Caroline distantly heard the snapping of a paintbrush on the other side of the room being broken in two, but paid it no mind.

Elena began talking again, but this time she hadn't watched her volume as carefully when she said, "It isn't safe, we need to find – "

Ms. Morris's high pitched voice cut through her words.

"Yes, Miss Gilbert?"

Caroline's mind went blank. It was the same voice. The same somewhat-annoyed tone as "B". When she frantically turned to look at Elena and Bonnie, she saw similar expressions on their faces.

Elena replied in a voice that only barely wavered, but thank god could simply be mistaken for nervousness at being called out by a teacher.

"Sorry, I'll be quiet."

Their teacher peered around her canvas and raised her eyebrows, replying in a bland tone, "Thank you for your generosity."

She ducked back behind her work, and Caroline began listening extremely closely to the art teacher.

Oh – oh god. She had the slowed heartbeat of a vampire.

But – _how_? She had been in Mystic Falls for _months_. Before the Originals had even arrived. And Damon and Alaric had mentioned her sister, who worked in the back of the Grill. How had none of them suspected anything? They knew Elena had been in danger ever since the summer. And with Rebekah entering Mystic Falls High they all should have been careful of every new face.

Caroline quickly snatched a sheet of paper and scribbled on it as fast as she could, showing it to Bonnie and Elena when she was done.

 _Ms. Morris is B._

Elena had an unsure expression on her face, but after a moment a look of determination covered her face and her set her shoulders before pulling out her phone. Caroline could see her fingers shaking just slightly as she scrolled through her contacts and hovered over the one called "B". Caroline had moved to the side so she could watch their teacher, and after a few deep breaths, Elena called the number.

 _Here we go again_

 _We're sick like animals_

 _We play pretend –_

" _Merde_! Sorry, this is so unprofessional – "

However the moment Ms. Morris pulled her phone out of the pocket of her smock and looked down at the number, she stopped talking. Silently, she turned off the volume and slipped it back into her pocket, a nonchalant expression on her face as she said, "Back to work, everyone. You can mock my ring tone some other time."

Most of the kids in the class laughed lightly, but Bonnie, Caroline, Elena, and Stefan were silent.

A few minutes later, 'Ms. Morris' stood up and walked around the classroom like usual, giving everyone feedback like she always did. However when she reached Caroline and Elena, she leaned down between them and spoke in a casual but firm voice.

"I've got plans after the school day. We can have some stereotypical girl-talk some other time."

Without saying anything more, she practically _sashayed_ back to her seat, gaining a joking wolf whistle from one of the guys on the football team, who she promptly turned to and said, "Mr. Johnson, is that the sound of your failing grade I hear in the distance?"

Once more the class laughed, having no idea what sort of creature was joking around with them.

* * *

Sorry about the wait, my job is kicking my ass

Also - don't know if anyone is interested, but I'm contemplating a spin off of what Bea was up to in the century without her memories. Let me know if there's interest - BE HONEST! xx as always, please review and let me know what you do and don't like!


	24. Chapter 24

_Had it written. Decided to post it. By the way, I didn't include this earlier: Bea's face claim is Holland Roden and Rigby's is Sophia Bush._

* * *

Alaric knew it was stupid, walking into the teachers' lounge like he was going to get jumped. But Elena had let him know that the art teacher who had been new this year was the person that had been spying on them. To top it off, she was a vampire. Marie Morris – actually, it was probably best to think of her as "B" from now on – had always eaten alone, typically reading. She hadn't been pleasant or unpleasant to her colleagues when she had started, and Alaric himself had only spoken to her a few times.

As he approached her table, he overheard what sounded like the end of a conversation she was having on the phone.

" - Mkay, so you're picking me up? Be careful, I adore my car."

Whatever response had been said made her smile widely. Alaric couldn't deny it – the woman was attractive when she smiled genuinely. After a short pause she answered the other person with a brief "Love you, too" before she glanced up and saw him, quickly hanging up.

Alaric dropped into the seat across from her, and he was thankful that the table she was seated at was far enough away from the rest that he only had to lower his voice a little bit when he said, "So what do you get out of spying on the Originals? And I assume you have something to do with Kol's kidnapping?"

B rolled her eyes and didn't answer right away, instead dipping a pita chip into the hummus from the lunch in front of her. After chewing and swallowing she politely patted her lips with her napkin and answered.

"God, you're irritating. Why on earth do you care? It has nothing to do with you."

Alaric let his tone become acidic and he narrowed his eyes when he replied, "Because you compelled a girl _I_ am trying to look out for. You've been spying on us all for _months_. And your sister has been spying on us from the grill, if she even is your sister."

Every bit of relaxation left the woman across from him, and Alaric saw very clearly for the first time the bloodthirsty vampire she seemed to be. When she spoke she was nearly hissing.

"If you go near Rigby I will tear the heads off of everyone you have _ever_ cared about, Mr. Saltzman."

Alaric froze. This was not going the way he had been hoping, even if he had known that his preferred outcome was unlikely. He would have to call Stefan and Damon and make sure they were at the school once it let out so they could talk to her and find out what her agenda was. Before he could say anything, an amused look covered B's face in a stark contrast to what it had just been.

"Relax. I said _if_. I have no quarrel whatsoever with your little rag-tag group, nor any interest. I'll be leaving Mystic Falls soon, there's no need for your gang to get all _dramatic_."

He tried not to let his surprise show, but this woman wasn't giving anything away. In a somewhat incredulous voice, he finally managed to speak.

"Who the hell are you?"

A slow, sadistic smile covered her face and when she answered, it was entirely mocking.

"Just a woman with an agenda."

* * *

"Stupid motherfucking freshman. Gonna tear their fucking heads off I swear to Christ –"

Rebekah was… honestly not that surprised at the words if this really was Kol's wife. The doppelganger had been loudly yammering on with the history teacher about the vampire who was teaching art – really, subtlety was not her strong suit. Rebekah wasn't taking the class, but she had vaguely remembered the pretty woman with red hair.

The connection was easy to make.

It was the period following lunch, and Rebekah had a free. Walking into the art studio, she could see that Beatrix didn't have a class to teach. The woman was on her hands and knees, mopping up what looked like spilled paint with an enormous quantity of paper towels.

"So you're my sister-in-law."

Beatrix jolted and almost slipped forward on the spill, yelling out yet another expletive. When she gained her bearings she turned around and saw Rebekah standing in the doorway, nonchalantly leaning against the threshold.

"You aren't wrong. Give me a sec."

The woman quickly stood and strode over to the deep sink in the corner of the room, washing up to her elbows methodically to remove all of the paint. When she finished toweling off, she walked back over and stuck her hand out, smiling widely.

"I'm Bea, and yes, Kol's my bitch."

Rebekah couldn't hold back her laughter at that even as they shook hands, and the best part was she was fairly certain the statement was true. Kol always threw his everything into whatever he did, and she could only imagine how this woman maintained a relationship with him.

"Well it's good to know someone is finally reining him in."

However instead of going along with her line of thought, the woman burst into laughter. When she finally quieted, she spoke with a light voice.

"Now why on _earth_ would I 'rein him in'? Bloodshed is a shared hobby. Married people _do_ need things in common, after all."

Rebekah smirked at the answer and quickly replied, "I see. Wouldn't want it to get boring."

Bea smiled and seemed genuine when she said, "It's nice to meet you. As me. Not the fake art teacher. And Kol's fine, by the way. _Really_ doesn't want to see your brothers, though."

Rebekah couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive at that, but kept her voice casual when she asked, "Why is that, exactly? Anything out of the ordinary?"

Bea was staring at her, seemingly examining her as she stayed silent. Finally she spoke in a surprised and darkly amused voice with her eyebrows lifted.

"Wow, you _actually_ don't know. Kol was pretty upset to find out that Elijah compelled me and then Klaus killed me."

Damn it. Damn it, damn it, _damn it_.

The woman wasn't really revealing much with her expression, so Rebekah couldn't gauge the situation all that accurately. But this was bad. The kind of 'bad' that usually led to a huge sum of corpses, courtesy of Kol.

She didn't want to believe what Bea was saying. Not because it was impossible– it was _all too easy_ to believe – but because it was more than likely that Kol would be out for revenge. And with Nik being a hybrid now, it was practically suicide.

"That sounds distinctly unpleasant."

Bea rolled her eyes and snorted.

"Yeah, the snapped neck wasn't fun, but not too bad either. Bit more pissed about the whole not-knowing-I-was-fucking-married thing, to be honest. But whatever. I've got him back, and I don't plan on losing him."

Bea spoke nonchalantly, but Rebekah could hear the steel in her voice – the clear warning. It should have been laughable, a young vampire indirectly threatening her. But something about the woman's words put her on edge. She had a suspicion that somehow, Bea could actually do her some heavy damage.

* * *

Bea heard her blouse tearing as it dragged slightly against the bricks of the school's outside wall she was being held against. Like an idiot, she had stayed after work to finish up a painting she'd been working on. She knew Kol would be late as usual, so she wasn't concerned about that.

But she hadn't factored in that all of the students would have cleared out – meaning there was nobody to witness Damon fucking Salvatore ruining her five hundred dollar chiffon blouse like some inbred piece of shit. What sort of monster would disrespect Chanel that way? She wore a smock for a reason! Really, this had been bought in –

"Are you even listening to me?"

Bea shook herself, focusing on what was happening in front of her.

"No, actually. Though if you don't let go of me you'll damage your hand."

None of the people in front of her looked rattled, so they clearly were under the impression that they were at an advantage. Ugh. The little gang was all here: Caroline, Bonnie, the Salvatores, Alaric, and Elena.

Damon pressed her harder against the back of the building, his grip tightening around her throat. It was fairly counterproductive – he really should have held a stake to her chest to properly threaten her. If he wanted her to talk she couldn't have a blocked airway.

"You're outnumbered, princess. Now, what do you want with Elena?"

Bea huffed and turned to look at the girl, scrutinizing her before finally answering.

"Well, a haircut would be where I'd start – get some layers to make it look less flat. And the outfit isn't _too_ awful, for her at least, but I'd put on some heeled booties. As far as – "

She was cut off when a blinding pain flashed through her head, making her clench her teeth and squeeze her eyes shut. When it passed her opened them to glare at the witch. With an even, deadly tone she said hoarsely, "I'm going to remember that, witch. You _really_ shouldn't have."

Looking back at Damon, she decided to play along with them and said, "I don't want anything to do with Katie's double."

He opened his mouth, looking like he was about to spout off more outrageously inaccurate accusations, and Bea decided she was over this conversation. Thankful for her strength, she sighed with annoyance and grabbed Damon's wrist, crushing it before wrenching it back harshly and causing a loud snap to echo out.

The entire gang look shocked for a moment, but a second later seemed to recover, stepping closer and effectively trapping her. When the Bennett witch raised her arm to presumably make her head explode again, Bea spoke quickly and defensively raised her hands in a placating manner.

"Okay, to be fair, I did warn him! I felt threatened."

Stefan let out a mocking laugh and then began talking in an overly slow voice, as if explaining something to a child.

"That's because we're threatening you."

Bea's eyes narrowed, offended by his tone. However before she could insult him, she was cut off by a certain blonde one thousand year old girl.

"And _why_ are you threatening my sister?"

Bea knew a huge smile had to be on her face as Rebekah walked through the circle the group had made and came to stand beside her with her arms crossed. Rebekah called her _sister_. Rebekah's opinion of her was the one she cared about most, seeing as she was Kol's favorite sibling. The fact that she hadn't been a part of the whole killing-Bea brigade also endeared the girl to her.

The Mystic Falls gang all looked floored, and after a moment Caroline began speaking in a voice that had a little bit more caution in it.

"You're one of the Originals?"

She didn't have to answer, because at that moment Rebekah peered across the parking lot and let out an annoyed sound before turning to Bea and saying, "And now he's here to make this ten times more dramatic."

Bea didn't exactly know what _she_ was supposed to do about it. And _good_. This group of people should know that she wasn't someone they could just push around. When the car drove up to the curb and Kol stepped out, Bea could see the tightening around his eyes that signaled he was angry, even if there was a smirk on his face.

"Sorry I'm late. Stopped to eat someone. Bekah, you've met Bea?"

Rebekah nodded and said, "I like her, she seems far too good for you."

Kol snorted and didn't answer her, instead looking around at the scene. It was fairly easy to see what had happened. Damon was cradling his wrist and Bea was still fussing with her blouse. She saw the moment he put it together in his head.

Everyone else noticed it too a second later when Kol's fangs descended and his hand went into Damon's chest cavity.

"Any particular reason I shouldn't rip out your organs and give them to my wife as a present?"

" _Wife_?"

Before Kol could say anything in response to the burst of conversation that the gang all began yammering on about, Bea pursed her lips and was genuinely curious when she said, "What would the occasion be?"

Kol kept his hand in the same place but turned his head to look at Bea with exasperation.

"Why does everything have to be an _occasion_ with you?"

Bea's mouth dropped open in offense and her voice became a touch shrill when she said, "Oh, 'with me'? As if _I'm_ so very high maintenance? You're the one –"

"Shit. I didn't mean it like that, darling. Do you want me to tear out his heart and give it to you?"

Bea flipped her hair and pouted, but decided to let it go. Taking note once more of the audience they had, she was amused to see the expressions on the group's faces – they ranged from shocked, to disgusted, to scared. Quite flattering.

However Damon's comment made her burst into snickering laughter.

"Are you seriously having a marital dispute with your hand _in my chest_?"

Kol turned away and spoke with an entirely mocking voice when he focused on Damon, "You're not involved in this, mate, don't butt in."

Without another word he pulled his hand back out of the vampire – letting him keep his heart for now, evidently. Damon fell to the pavement, and all of the gang ran over to him, having previously been frozen without knowing what to do when they were facing off with multiple Originals.

Bea walked over to Kol and held his hand, weaving her fingers through his – the hand coated with blood. He smiled and raised their joined hands, pressing a light kiss to the back of hers.

Bea followed Kol to the car, but made sure to turn over her shoulder and shout out to Rebekah, "Text me later! We can go shopping!"

After getting a nod from the blonde, she grinned and let Kol open the passenger door of the car for her. As she slid in and they began driving away she turned to him and said, "I'm not mad at you, but do you want to pretend we're fighting and fuck me really, really angrily?"

"Of course, darling."

* * *

Klaus pressed the play button next to Caroline's message for the third time.

" _What the hell, Klaus! Your brother's wife is crazy! She seemed so normal for the last few months! Why did –"_

He turned it off and stared down at his phone. This was an unforeseen complication.

Klaus turned when he heard Elijah enter the room and kept his voice even when he said, "Elijah, you didn't happen to give Beatrix Lynch your blood when you compelled her, did you?"

A confused look covered his face but just a second later his expression changed to dread.

"Niklaus, tell me you didn't kill that woman. That you didn't kill _Kol's wife_."

His silence was an answer enough.

* * *

Reviews are ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS very appreciated xx


	25. Chapter 25

_The first section is an adult scene, if any reader isn't comfortable with it you can skip to the second portion!_

* * *

" _Tu es incroyable_ , Bea. So, so good for me."

Bea whined and tightened her arms around Kol's neck. She was straddling Kol's lap but when he sat up it put them level with each other, pretty much the only position that let them comfortably maintain eye contact and kiss. It was – it almost felt like too _much_ at times, too many sensations. He was rocking into her slowly, grasping her hips and moving her with him, drawing it out and taking complete control. They often traded off who it was that was more dominant during their time in bed, and right now, Bea was more than happy to let him make the decisions. It was freeing in a sense, not having to worry or think. Instead she got to simply _feel_.

The plan to have angry sex quite obviously hadn't been followed. They had both been too relaxed on their way home to act angry when they were feeling the opposite.

Her stomach felt too warm and the space between her thighs was aching, only temporarily sated when Kol's cock was thrust all of the way inside of her. Fuck, she felt _full_. Not just literally – every muscle in her body seemed like it was pulsing.

Bea knew that many people could have sex without emotional attachment, and she didn't look down on those people at all, but when she was with Kol she couldn't even contemplate doing this with anyone else. It felt amazing because it _was_ amazing that she and her husband could be together in such a tangible, intimate way, even when they were quickly and roughly fucking.

Kol was the only man that had ever seen her completely naked. Whenever they fucked it was like she was tearing herself open, holding out her heart with all of the good and bad showing and trusting him not to hurt her.

"Don't know how I got so lucky, want to be in your veins, under your skin. _T_ _ellement bon_ , darling, you feel amazing around my cock, you're so good. Warm and soft and wet, just fucking _perfect_. And I'm the only one who gets to feel you."

Kol's last words were punctuated with a slow grind against her and Bea's eyes fluttered shut as she leaned forward and pressed her forehead against Kol's. Her lips were parted and she was struggling to _breathe_ she was so turned on and overwhelmed. Every one of his words made her feel better and better – being praised in bed and told she was 'good' was sort of her _thing_.

"Only you, _je suis à vous_ _,_ love you so much."

Being told that she was only his was sort of _his_ thing.

Bea could feel him shudder at her words and she ducked her head so her face was pressed against his neck, where she began whispering against his skin, letting her teeth lightly drag against his tendons.

"Always yours, Kol. I'm yours and you're mine. We're going to make it rain blood and drink and slaughter and fuck _forever_ and never die. _Toi et moi_."

Kol let out a hoarse, quiet moan and the noise made Bea shiver and jerk in his lap. It seemed like Kol was near completion, so Bea reached down to thumb at her clit in time to his thrusts that were now speeding up. After a minute of climbing higher and higher Kol spoke through clenched teeth.

"Close, love?"

Bea's only response was a high pitched, strangled whimper, which really spoke for itself. When Kol tilted his head back, baring his neck in a clear invitation, Bea took up his offer and bit down in a mirror of the place he had left a bite mark on her just minutes before. As she gulped down his blood her hand stuttered, and Kol moved his own hand down to take over rubbing the apex of her thighs.

Bea's breathing was reduced to sobs at this point and she tried to grab Kol's hand to speed him up and make him press harder against her. She didn't always orgasm during sex, though Kol always made sure to make it up to her with his mouth and hands when she didn't, but it was very clear that she would this time. However instead of complying with her silent demand, he _slowed down_ when she was _just on the edge_ and spoke.

"Tell me what you want. Ask nicely."

Bea's voice was completely uneven and hitching when she spoke, but thank god before she even finished talking Kol was moving his hand again so she wouldn't completely lose her quickly-approaching orgasm. He was teasing her, but he wasn't completely cruel.

"Please, god, Kol, _s'il vous plaît_ , please make me come."

And he complied.

* * *

"The movies _never_ get it right. It's always far too bright! Like a shade of vermilion."

"I thought vermilion was green?"

Bea huffed and rolled her eyes. It might be the – okay, no, it was _definitely_ her inner art snob that was making her exasperated. Kol looked confused, which was entirely adorable, so she leaned over and pecked him lightly, getting even more blood on her lips before pulling back.

"No, you're probably confusing it with 'viridian'. Vermilion is a scarlet color. You'll see when I make you watch the movie _Scream_ with me. It's a horror film but also a comedy."

Kol took a second to shove the body he'd been drinking from off to the side so he could fully turn around to face her.

"I'm interested. How is the film both? Do you mean in the way that the inevitable gory deaths of the humans can be amusing?"

Bea pursed her lips and tried to attempt to describe it for him. There were so many cinematic masterpieces she would have to catch him up on. They hadn't really spent much time lazing about together seeing as their reunion had been only a couple of days. But they now had an eternity together, and Kol had so very much to learn.

Skydiving, Charles Bukowski, Nickelodeon, easily accessible fruit, speed boats, ACDC, mechanical bulls, Harry Potter, iPods, trampolines – he was going to _love_ this century.

But God, he wouldn't even understand any Mean Girls references. And Britney Spears was a cultural icon he had to know about, what with her body and – On second thought, Bea _wouldn't_ introduce him to that trollop, no matter how talented she was.

"No, it isn't funny in the way you find the slaughter humorous. It is essentially a movie about trends in horror movies. So – shit. It will have to come later, when you've actually seen the movies it references. Disney is probably more important."

"What is a Disney? Another horror film?"

Bea shook her head in dismissal and was caught between wanting to laugh and wanting to scream – not at him, of course. More at the general unfairness of the universe. Every second they were together was a reminder of the time they had spent apart. She had been alive for nearly a century and a quarter, and yet only five years had been spent with Kol. How was it that he had taken her entire life by storm?

Bea resolved to try to be a bit less overwhelming. The technological revolution would take _time_ to tell him about. So she would go slow instead of trying to shove all of the information upon him as soon as she could.

Speaking of going slow, Bea looked down at the pile of bodies she'd been drinking from. Two of the young women were dead and one was on the brink of bleeding out. The pool of wasted blood staining the blanket the women had been picnicking on was fairly large. Bea really should have taken her time and savored every drop, but watching Kol eat had made her own hunger grow, prompting a sloppy feeding.

The remnants of Kol's meal was a disaster in comparison to hers, however, so she felt better about herself. He was _coated_ in blood.

Deciding to act on a random urge, Bea shifted closer to him and licked at his cheek, revealing his skin beneath the blood. He looked amused by the action, but instead of questioning it tackled her to the ground and began licking her face messily.

" _Ew!_ Oh my god, get off you ingrate!"

Kol pretended not to hear her and instead moved down to lick at her neck, not at all sexually, instead with the objective to gross her out even further.

With another protesting shriek Bea finally wriggled a knee under him and shoved him off, making him fly across the clearing in the woods. Kol landed on his feet but still looked caught off guard and spoke in a wondering tone.

"Still getting used to that. You're stronger than a vampire your age should be."

Bea shrugged and explained her hypothesis to him, which he nodded along to.

"Seems like it makes sense. Not going to test it – there isn't any other mortal I could see drinking my blood or my siblings' blood for years on end. You're _special_."

His last word was spoken jokingly and in unison with him speeding over to her and swinging her up in his arms in a mocking bridal position. However when he twirled her around Bea looked down at the bodies, considering.

"We should probably burn these. I don't recognize any of them, so they weren't high school students or locals."

Kol shrugged and put her down as he began rearranging the bodies.

"How excited are you to have quit that job, by the way?"

Bea smiled widely, agreeing wordlessly with his statement. The very day after the confrontation in the parking lot Bea had quit her job. Rigby had mentioned going out of town to take care of an errand a few weeks before, so Bea had insisted she take the time off immediately to avoid the Mystic Falls gang until Bea with Kol's help could figure out a way to protect her. With Rigby gone for the next few days, it would be only her and Kol. Well, and –

The loud chime of her text tone going off startled her, and Kol whipped his head around in surprise. However when she pulled out her iPhone she saw it was a message from Rebekah that must have taken a little while to go through with the shitty service in the woods.

"Go back to bonfire-building. It's your sister. We're planning to go shopping this weekend when the mall will be open all day. I wanted her to meet Rigby, but Rigby said she might be gone a little longer than she'd thought."

Kol was rolling the bodies up in the blanket and holding up the wine the girls had been drinking, evidently assessing if it would be flammable enough to act as an accelerant or if they would have to purchase one. He looked away from it, however, to call over to her in a complaining tone.

"You two are going to be a nightmare together, mark my words. But she probably needs a positive female role model."

"Aw, you think – "

"Which is why Rigby will be a good figure for her to have in her life."

Bea burst into agreeing laughter at his mockery and walked over to him.

"You're an ass. We're sending your sister a picture, so lean in and smile."

* * *

Elijah was fairly relaxed, reading the newspaper and sipping at his tea in the foyer of the mansion. There was so much on his mind lately that any form of calming entertainment or distraction from all of Klaus's messes was welcome.

Rebekah throwing herself onto the couch next to him with a dramatic sigh was the _opposite_ of relaxing.

"They're sickeningly adorable together, in case you were wondering."

There were few people that Elijah could remember Bekah talking about with such an underlying current of fondness. He didn't want to make assumptions so with some regret he put down his newspaper and turned to look at her.

"Who is it you're talking about?"

"Kol and his wife."

At her answer, Elijah sat up abruptly and began to focus on her completely.

"You've been in contact with Kol? Where is he? What has he been –"

Rebekah rolled her eyes and waved a hand at him, cutting him off with exasperation.

"No, I'm not in contact with Kol. Apparently he finds touch screens frustrating and keeps breaking his phones."

Elijah honestly couldn't name the feeling that was coming over him. There was relief to hear any information about Kol since he had been taken at the disastrous ball, but also apprehension. Because if Rebekah wasn't speaking with Kol, then…

"Bea and I have been exchanging texts quite a bit. She's even more miserable about being in this town than I am, so we're planning a trip to the mall this Saturday."

Elijah heard a vibration come from Rebekah's phone and watched her look at the message. With a light huffing sound of amusement she turned the screen and held it out to him, prompting him to look at what she had just received.

It was a picture of Kol and the woman he very vaguely remembered as Beatrix. Kol was completely splattered with blood and he saw blood also covering the lower half of the woman's face. Kol was pressing a kiss to the her cheek and Beatrix was grinning widely, nearly all of her teeth on display in a show of what appeared to be genuine happiness.

"You see? Violent and somewhat psychotic, but _sickeningly adorable_."


	26. Chapter 26

Are you truly a monster if you can live with yourself? If you can think over your decisions and know that you would commit the exact same crimes does that mean you have not yet toed the line, or that you are too far gone already?

Bea was many things. She knew what her gravestone _should_ read. But the one that bore her maiden name in Louisiana had been commissioned by her sister's family for the young aunt they never knew.

 _Beatrix Lynch_

 _Beloved sister and dearest friend_

That wasn't quite true though, was it? Bea and Marie had drifted farther apart in Bea's final years of human life than they ever had been before. Kol had become her lifeline, and in turn the need for her big sister had faded. The blurry hole she had left in her sister's life when she had 'died' was an inaccuracy she was glad to give the Morris family. Bea was glad her sweet, passive sister had died without knowing what she'd become.

 _Beatrix Lynch Mikaelson_

 _Never a mother, forever a wife. Protector of a not-sister._

 _Vicious. Immoral. Terrible. Violent._

But not cruel. As backwards as it may seem, ever since Bea had turned her switch back on she had not considered herself 'cruel'.

Bea knew most people would call her a monster – maybe she had been made to be a monster. But she would not have ever thought of herself as 'heartless'. There was a very, very faint line that she didn't cross. Atrocities that she refused to commit and deemed too inhumane.

And in the euphoria of getting Kol back – the love of her existence, the man she knew loved her just as much – she had forgotten something incredibly important.

Kol didn't have that line.

* * *

She couldn't stop running through the woods. It was her typical reaction and instinctive – especially in the half century of being a vampire when Bea had been by herself without _anyone_ by her side. Then it had been a minor switch for her go-to reaction to become to check on Rigby _then_ run in any stressful situation.

Bea had lost Kol about a mile back. Not due to her superior speed. No, it was the tree branch she had hurled backwards over her shoulder that had made a truly repulsive sound as it sunk into his flesh. She'd only been trying to slow him down, but Bea was now fairly sure that he'd be busy with splinters.

Kol was probably a mix between confused and angry. Bea felt a pang of regret at her actions when she considered how he must be feeling. The entire situation was fucked up. They were both 'wrong', if the word could be used to describe any part of the encounter.

The two of them should really sit down and _talk_. There were countless things that had to be said, but Bea and Kol had been doing a magnificent job thus far ignoring their problems and instead overcompensating with lightheartedness and joking. Their avoidance this past week had finally led to the inevitable breaking point.

Bea had gotten back from shopping with Rebekah. The day had been _wonderful_. Bekah – as she insisted on being called – was clearly eager for a sister figure and had been a riot to be around. Bea had given her an overview of her life with Kol, from their meeting to their disastrous first date and eventually their wedding. Bekah had been insistent on hearing all about the color schemes and whatnot.

The look of abject _horror_ on the Original's face when she heard that she and Kol had a very small, simple wedding was hilarious. Bekah had immediately insisted on throwing a second wedding.

Such a sap.

They had dinner together at a small restaurant Bea and Rigby had grown obsessed with in the last few months, and she had gotten to hear snippets of the Originals' lives. The best part by far was hearing some embarrassing stories about Kol – she had planned to torment him with the most humiliating of the childhood tales.

But then she had walked through the front door of the apartment and seen what Kol had been up to that day while she was away. He had told her he would be doing some more catching up to the present before getting a bite to eat. But this –

An entire bachelorette party was on her living room floor. The woman who wore a sash declaring her the soon-to-be bride was dead, and three of her bridesmaids were as well. One remained wetly breathing through what Bea figured was a collapsed lung, while another was unconscious and battered.

It was probably because of the conversations that Bea had been having with Bekah all day, but she felt violently _wrong_ standing in the midst of it. The woman had been about to marry – she had her own Kol somewhere who wouldn't know what happened to her. Bea knew a good person would have been able to empathize with the loss of human life on its own. But it only really impacted her when she thought about the couple in terms of her own life.

A cheerful note on the counter top let her know that Kol would be back within the next two hours, out trying to reconnect with the warlock descendant of a witch he had once worked with.

Bea had been gentle as she mindlessly fed the two left alive her blood and compelled them to forget what they had seen instead of merely their guaranteed silence. A small mercy, and one she wouldn't usually extend.

The bride's body was the first she cleaned with a wet paper towel before burying her, the dead bridesmaids following her. It was macabre, cleaning a body off only to bury it deep in the ground. Getting the bodies into her small car to drive to a deeper part of the forest had been a hassle. Kol had probably thought she would leave them until he came home, waiting to make him do it.

But she – _fuck_ , she couldn't.

Bea _loved_ violence. But violence for a purpose was always so much more fun. Ripping the head from a rapist – because Bea truly detested men who thought they could control women in any way – was grin-worthy, and draining dry anyone who wanted to hurt Rigby felt as natural as breathing. A good fight got her blood pumping and killing was just that – _killing_. It wasn't the extinguishing of potential or any other kind of bullshit, killing was an action that she committed with a serene expression.

Kol had gotten home just after she herself had returned from the makeshift gravesite. At that point, maybe Bea could have reasoned with herself to remain calm. After all, on a different day she might not have been bothered at all. It was merely because she had only just been talking about her own life of being married while human. But then Kol had spoken.

"Hi, love. You cleaned it up? Did you see that the bride's hair was the very same shade as yours?"

And so she ran.

* * *

Kol was mentally running through everything he had done in the last eight hours that could have made his wife pissed off enough to throw a fucking tree branch through his leg. Christ, he had _just gotten_ these trousers. He'd invested in the denim clothing this century seemed obsessed with and had quickly seen the appeal.

Now they were beyond help, and bits of wood were still making their way out of his body.

It had to be the comment about her hair. Bea was sensitive about her hair, whenever any comments were made about it being 'red'. He had actually thought that she seemed over it, seeing as she'd grown it out a foot and spent nearly a half hour styling it every morning.

When he finally caught up to her, she was standing still in a clearing with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She was facing him, but wouldn't meet his eyes. Kol made sure to approach slowly and deliberately, not wanting to catch her off guard in any way when she was clearly on edge.

"Sweetheart, I need you to tell me why you're upset. I'm not telepathic."

Bea finally looked and met his gaze with a blank expression on her face that directly contrasted her low, furious tone of voice.

"I'm not _upset_ , okay? I'm angry. I'm so fucking mad right now and I don't want to look at your face. Just laisse-moi tranquille."

If Kol had learned anything after being with Bea for years, it was that when she asked to be left alone, she usually meant it. But right now he was more concerned with the fact that he could see tears building in her eyes, even if they were sparked by anger.

"No. I want to know why you're angry."

That seemed to be the cue she'd been waiting for.

"Fine. You know what? I'm going to talk now and I need you to shut up and not say anything until I'm done because I don't know if I can finish otherwise."

Betraying her words, Bea seemed to pause and look at him, as if waiting to see his reaction to what she was saying. Kol honestly felt a little bit taken aback. He had thought that he and Bea were doing perfectly, and his last few days had been spent re-establishing his network of connections whenever Bea wasn't around. This had clearly been building, and he hadn't noticed. So he gave a nod and said, "Alright, love."

She let out a strangled sound at that, something that turned into a harsh laugh, but began talking quickly in a fierce tone that practically dared him to interrupt her.

"That right there, is part of it. You're back and I am so, so happy I can't even see straight sometimes. Some days it's like I can't even breathe right without you. But then when you're not there and neither is anybody else I get so fucking _angry_. Je déteste ton frère but not just because you were daggered."

She was clearly struggling for words, but as promised, he didn't speak and instead gave her a minute to gather her thoughts.

"Okay, it _is_ because you were daggered, but I'm mad for _me_. It's selfish and I hate myself when I think too much about it, but Klaus ruined my life too. He – we haven't talked about it, but he could have ended our marriage permanently. You weren't there, and I learned how to be a vampire by _myself_. I eat differently than you do normally and my switch is on, even if I love some violence to spice things up. I'm teaching you about the civil rights movement and the different decades but – I went to fucking college. Twice. I'm still me, but I'm different, too. I've lived without you for longer than I did with you. And you haven't seen it yet because we've been in a bubble."

Bea was breathing heavily, but even as her words seemed like they should be spoken through tears, she was instead getting closer to an enraged shriek. She had begun stomping around as she spoke, and Kol was mostly doing his best to follow what she was saying. Every time he was reminded of the time they weren't together he was bothered, and of course when Bea had noticed she'd stopped explicitly mentioning tales of her own adventures during the events she educated him on.

This was his every insecurity dragged out and thrown under a microscope. His wife had lived without him and become someone else. She was the same as he remembered but… was she? How much of her actions had been her acting like she thought he would be expecting?

Anger grew in him as an instinctive response to her words, and he approached her, wrapping her in his arms and rubbing her back. With a firm voice he said, "We'll get revenge on Niklaus. I sw –"

He hadn't been expecting Bea to shove him off, and he was almost thrown off balance.

"No! I'm not done! I'm angry at you, too! Some other day I wouldn't care, but I was just talking about _our_ wedding with your sister today, when I was a fucking human, just like those women. But most of all I hate myself because I am _so angry_ at you for getting daggered! You were daggered and I was killed after I _told you to stay safe!_ "

When Bea had been a human, she would sometimes turn an argument into sex, a method Kol very quickly adapted himself. When they were finished and his very-human wife was a bit more tired, they could talk and settle their arguments. So when Kol saw her move toward him quickly, for a half second he was convinced she was going to initiate sex.

Instead, her fist collided with his face.

* * *

Rigby was laying naked on her back, staring up at the ceiling of the hotel and trying to remain calm. Bea would probably give her a high five for what she'd done, but Rigby was supposed to be the responsible one. And she knew that this would really fucking complicate things.

Truthfully, she could barely say how she'd gotten here. Of course the other woman was a resourceful bitch, but Rigby had no idea how she had gotten her phone number when they hadn't seen each other in years. Probably Slater at some point, may the creepy-but-harmless guy rest in peace.

It wasn't that Rigby was upset with what had happened. The opposite, actually. Whenever they spent time together they had a ton of fun and her conversations with the woman always left her feeling lighter. The sex had been just as good as she'd predicted it would be after they'd hooked up the last time they'd been together.

At the sound of the bathroom door opening, Rigby turned.

Katerina Petrova stood entirely naked in the doorway, a small smile on her face.

"Come and join me in the shower, Eleanor?"


	27. Chapter 27

Bea hadn't been so tired in what she was sure had to have been at least a decade. And as humiliated as she wanted to be at the sheer _indignity_ of Kol simply restraining her arms at her sides as she admittedly threw a tantrum, she couldn't even call on that emotion.

Kol stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her like an errant child. When she finally stopped moving and let out a long, tired sigh, she felt him prop his chin on top of her head. Letting out a low hum, he was the first to speak.

"That was probably a long time coming. Your right hook is significantly more effective than it was one hundred years ago."

To hear Kol joking about the gap in time after she'd reacted the way she had made something in Bea loosen. It was as if something hungry in her chest had settled down upon hearing his soothing, gently mocking tone.

"I shouldn't have hit you. I'm sorry."

She could feel Kol shrug against her back – most likely an acceptance of her apology, but not respond verbally. It felt like there was a lull in time at the moment. They were in a fairly isolated part of the woods, and apart from the two of them, the only living things were a few birds that hadn't been scared off yet. His hold shifted into a simple embrace, and Bea allowed herself a moment to simply _breathe_ and feel calm with Kol surrounding her.

Her little tirade had wrenched open and laid bare her every fear and insecurity about having Kol back. In the months that she and Rigby had been trying to find him, she had fretted about how he would react to being with her after she had changed in the last century. But not once did she consider that she might be the one to feel resentment towards him.

Bea had said her piece, and was mostly staying quiet to allow Kol to process what she had said. He was bound to be a little overwhelmed by her emotional unload, especially when she had tried to put on a happy face around him since they were reunited. So she waited.

When he finally spoke, it was in a tight, even tone that gave nothing away.

"You aren't the only one in this. But I can't kill your demons, Bea. I can apologize for being reckless and drawing Niklaus's attention a century ago, but I can't apologize for anything that followed. That wasn't my doing, and it isn't my blame to take on."

Bea squeezed her eyelids shut as tightly as she could, as if scrunching up her eyes would hold back any tears. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, _fuck_.

When she finally spoke, she made sure there was no trace of her sadness – crying now would put them at an imbalance of power, the very last thing needed for this discussion.

"I know that it isn't fair to blame you. I'll try to work on it. But I also can't just pretend that no time passed."

At that, Kol unwound his arms and stepped around from behind her so they faced each other. With her head tilted back, Bea could see the annoyed look on his face.

"I never asked you to pretend. Maybe I needed it to be that way at first, but from now on I care more about my wife becoming an emotional nuclear bomb than I do my own anger at having missed out on a lifetime with you."

Bea nodded, but ultimately didn't have very much more to say that couldn't wait. So she reached both hands forward and gripped his, holding them tightly as she started walking back in the direction they had both run.

The journey back to the apartment was silent, both of them thinking over the things that had been brought up, and it seemed as though neither was ready to breach the quiet just yet. However when they entered the apartment and were faced with the obvious bloodstains, another issue arose.

"You were angry about the women I fed from. Even as a human you understood that I fed and didn't reprimand me seriously for it. We ate a couple together _last night_."

Bea felt yet another spike of anger at the reminder of the bodies she had come home to, but reminded herself that from Kol's perspective she really had freaked out for no reason. So she did the best she could to explain.

"I like violence and I love being a vampire. But it seemed too far to kill a girl who didn't have a chance at her married life yet. I'm very aware that I'm probably projecting our own issues onto it. And the lack of subtlety is _dangerous_ now. There are security cameras everywhere and smart phones that can capture proof of your existence in a millisecond. You have to be discrete when you're – no, _we're_ feeding. I'd much rather do it together because it feels weirdly intimate. If that's alright with you."

Kol nodded along to what she'd been saying – not in agreement but to show he was listening to her words. By the end of her explanation he was smirking at her, a bit mocking but mostly amused. In less than a blink of an eye he sped over to her and began nuzzling his face against her neck, just under the hinge of her jaw.

" _Mon chéri_ , I'll do anything intimate with you."

Bea wanted to bat him off – well, no she didn't. She thought that maybe a mature adult _should_ bat him off and remain upset on principle or something and not forgive him so easily when he hadn't made any comment on her very real concerns but…

He was dragging his lips across her neck now, and she had very little experience being a mature adult. Before she had to try to wrangle any kind of promise from him, he began murmuring against her skin.

"I can be discrete. And you've always been softer than me. I don't care about the humans, but you can play at being my moral compass if it's that important to you."

Bea tilted her head back, giving him access to more of her neck. Her body was already responding to his touch, and her mind was strangely turned on by the idea of having that degree of power over Kol. When he began walking her backwards, it was simple to hop up on to the kitchen counter, putting them at eye level. When he gripped her hips and pulled her against him, she let out a breathy sigh.

Bea's protest was half a moan as he pressed his pelvis against hers and began to rub against her.

"We should – oh god, _juste là –_ we should still be serious –"

"We could be. _Or_ we could accept that we both were disgustingly vulnerable today and fuck in the kitchen to reaffirm our love and devotion to each other."

Yes, Bea supposed they could do that instead. However, when she began to grind against Kol, the door to the apartment slammed open to show Rigby standing in the doorway, looking a bit distracted. With little concern for Kol, Bea shoved him aside and hopped off the counter, speeding over to throw her arms around her best friend.

"You're home! I missed you, I didn't think your little overnight bag meant you'd be gone for a _week_ and -"

Bea froze, and pulled back from the hug with a blank face. Rigby cringed and seemed to try to put on an air of confidence, but when a wide, wicked smile began growing on Bea's face Rigby seemed to slump and accept what was going to happen.

"You smell like _sex!_ Kol, doesn't she smell like sex?"

The question was clearly rhetorical and meant to be dramatic in order to embarrass Rigby a bit more, but he muttered in a petulant voice, "Yes, it appears that someone around here is getting laid."

Bea waved away his miffed complaint about their interruption - after all, she'd sucked him off less than twelve hours ago - and focused back on her best friend.

"Eleanor, you dirty girl! So these errands you were running happen to have a cunt?"

Rigby cringed at her wording just as Bea knew she would, but responded in a dry tone, "The errands were more interesting than I'd thought they would be, yes."

Bea hopped up and down with glee, tackling her into yet another too-tight hug as she said, "I'm so happy for you! Who is it? You didn't take the yoga-human back, right? If you were gone for a week it had to be someone supernatural. Anybody I know?"

The other woman was clearly stalling, and to Bea's amusement, Kol decided to step in and save Rigby from the interrogation.

"Come on now, love. Let her settle back in before the inquisition. There is time later, for now she probably wants to shower -" and evidently Kol wasn't entirely merciful when he said in a dramatic whisper "I can smell two types of perfume on your skin."

Bea pouted and released Rigby, but not before pecking her on the cheek and saying, "Really though, I missed you. You have to meet Kol's sister, she's a gem. We should go out tonight, I haven't been drunk in so long."

And so the three vampires made plans to bar hop through the surrounding towns near Mystic Falls.

* * *

Kol watched Bea interact with Rigby and felt a strange sense of thankfulness for the woman. Rigby was clearly the one who acted older and most likely more rational than his wife, and it was nice to know that she'd had someone like that with her for the last few decades. But right now his appreciation was mostly due to the fact that the two had been competing to see who could chug entire bottles of terrible quality liquor after Bea had needled at her friend to accept the dare for almost two hours, and they were both hilariously shitfaced.

Bea was sitting on one of the two stools at the cocktail table they had secured at the beginning of the evening, with Kol on the other side. Rigby stood behind her with her arms wrapped around Bea's shoulders and her chin propped up on shoulder. Both women were staring at him in the overly-focused way that inebriated people did when they were trying to appear sober.

Seeing as the two were swaying back and forth and had nearly tipped over numerous times, their attempted look of sobriety was ineffective.

Rigby turned her head and muttered something into Bea's ear that made his wife's eyes go incredibly wide with exaggerated surprise. A second later she slammed her palms against the table and slurred, "Rigby is gonna have beautiful gay babies with pretty hair."

Kol, who was only a bit drunk and not anywhere near the level of the women in front of him, tried to seem serious when he said, "Oh, do tell."

Bea and Rigby both seemed to take it as their cues to speak, and he could barely make out what either woman was saying over each other.

"Katie is sort of a bitch but Rigby makes soft eyes at her and -"

"I know she's using me, and I'm mostly using her too but her laugh is -"

"-if she hurts her I'll find a way to tear her spine out, I don't care if she's older."

" _so_ cute and I want to make her tomato soup."

Evidently Rigby's proclamation of making Tatia's vampire doppelganger food had some significance Kol couldn't fathom, because Bea looked at Rigby as if the woman had proclaimed she was the messiah and said, "You didn't tell me it was that serious, oh no! Wait, yes. But no. I wanna be a godmother and the maid of honor."

Bea whirled around and lifted her drink - more accurately, the glass that was empty of everything but ice, and shouted to the entire bar - "a toast!"

Most of the people in the bar turned to see what was going on, and Kol _really wished_ he had been paying better attention when Bea had showed him how to take pictures and record videos on his new phone, because it was a travesty that this wasn't going to be recorded.

"To my baby sister who's also older than me and my great niece! She's gonna have a beautiful white dress and kiss another lady in a pretty dress 'n they're gonna live happily ever after but with murder!"

Kol raised his glass and drank to that.

* * *

Caroline was trying very, very hard not to cry. She was _scared_ though, which was something she hated. Ever since she had been turned there had been a certain fearlessness that came with being a vampire. Because she had been made into something nearly indestructible she had gotten used to the feeling that nothing could overpower her.

But the three vampires in front of her that had her cornered in an alley were doing just that.

What sucked was that she hadn't even gone looking for them or anything, in fact, she was just on her way home from the grill after having a girls night. But she hadn't realized who the three figures stumbling down the street in her direction were until it was too late.

Kol had his hand wrapped around her throat and was pressing her against the bricks while a woman she didn't recognize argued with Ms. M - no, crap, this wasn't her art teacher anymore. The woman had never really _been_ Ms. M, she had been Bea Mikaelson the entire time.

They were discussing what they should do with her.

Kol was fairly vocal at first, but had finished speaking with a firm, "My final vote is leaving her corpse for Niklaus to find. It's only fair after what he did to Bea."

However Bea and the other woman, who they had called 'Rigby', had different ideas. What made the situation one hundred times more terrifying was that they were all incredibly drunk, and discussing her murder as if it was some kind of inconvenience. Rigby was the one who was advocating that they let her go, but she seemed to say something that set off Bea.

"Come on guys, she's just a baby. She didn't do anything wrong to deserve -"

Bea cut the woman off with a shaking, enraged voice.

"I didn't do anything wrong either. Klaus didn't give a shit."

Caroline understood for the first time that something much bigger than she had thought was going on. They were arguing, but it didn't seem like it was really her they were discussing. But in an apparent complete change of heart, Bea let out a huge breath in an annoyed sigh and stepped up close to Caroline. She tucked a strand of Caroline's hair behind her ear, and Caroline whimpered. The woman's show of kindness was somehow scarier than her rage. Rage was predictable. But this random kindness had her on edge.

When Bea spoke, it was quiet and her slurring was a little bit more obvious than it had been before.

"Her hair is pretty 'n she's _always_ polite in class. And tonight was about Rigby and love and nice hair, so we should let her go. I don't want to kill the blondie and then deal with Klaus for the first time in a century with a hangover. She can be a messenger dove."

Both Kol and Rigby muttered, "pigeon" at the same time.

Bea seemed uncaring as she waved them off and stared into Caroline's eyes.

"You aren't going to die tonight. 'S not going to happen again." She then turned to Kol and said, "We're gonna have to deal with your _brothers_. I don't want the teenagers getting inserting themselves for no reason and being annoying."

The second Kol let out an exasperated noise and let go of her, Caroline ran away as fast as she could.

* * *

 _As always, please let me know what you think about the plot, characterizations, etc!  
_


	28. Chapter 28

Elijah was taken aback when Rebekah stormed into the room and threw something at his chest. After catching the object, he saw that it was her phone.

"What- "

"You need to toughen up and stop avoiding talking to Kol. Or Bea, she might be slightly more reasonable, though I can't guarantee it. The teenagers in this town are frantic about the two of them – actually, three - being here and Nik probably has something up his sleeve, since they touched his precious Caroline last night and interfered with the doppelgänger blood bag."

Elijah stared at her, but acknowledged that everything she had said was most likely correct. Bekah and Kol were now on seemingly good terms and she'd spent a day with Kol's wife, but Elijah had been putting off reaching out to his brother.

He hadn't killed Beatrix. But with his compulsion, he had known that he was destroying Kol's chance at happiness. In truth, he found himself just as guilty of her death as Niklaus. Bekah left the room, most likely to give him the illusion of privacy, and Elijah scrolled through her phone until he found the woman's contact information. Admittedly with a pit of anxiety, he called her. After only a few rings, she picked up.

" _Hi, lovely. You missed out last night, though I wouldn't wish this hangover on you_."

There was a very real fondness in her voice and a cheerful friendliness that Elijah hadn't heard addressed to his sister often. It was almost a pity that he had to abolish it for the sake of their conversation.

"This is Elijah."

There was a harsh intake of breath, and he waited a moment before she answered in a somewhat fearful but threatening tone.

" _Why do you have her phone? What did you do to her_?"

And that – that made him a bit sick. In another life this woman would have been a member of their family. As humans in their village, she would have been a cherished part of the household, her honor protected by all of the Mikaelsons. And instead Kol's wife thought him capable of seriously harming his younger sister, because Beatrix's only memory of him was the night she was murdered by her brother-in-laws.

"She's completely unharmed and gave me her phone willingly."

Her response was almost immediate and spoken in a flat voice when she said, " _Kol isn't here right now. He'll be back soon and I can tell him you called_."

"I wanted to speak to you, actually."

On the other end of the call he could hear things being moved around – likely pots or pans based on the metallic 'cling' that sounded out. The woman's breathing was deep and even, but labored. Elijah realized that she was most likely doing it intentionally, trying to calm herself.

" _I don't know if I want to talk to you. I don't – I didn't plan what to say yet._ "

Before he could respond, she huffed and added on in an annoyed voice, " _Tell Rebekah she's a meddling bitch._ "

Elijah laughed lightly and remained dry when he responded, "I'd prefer to keep all of my limbs, so I'll refrain."

His words got an amused snort from the other end of the line and it felt like a small victory. However, he knew he would have to quell the humor momentarily.

"Your plans are what I wanted to discuss. Whatever it is that you've planned against Niklaus – "

He was cut off when Beatrix spoke over him in a tight voice, firm but wavering slightly at the end of her sentence.

" _Is none of your concern_."

A sense of urgency came over Elijah at hearing that. It was a confirmation of his every fear – his family reduced to vengeful individuals at odds with one another.

"If you go against Klaus, you will die. Kol will be daggered yet again. I wanted to warn you- "

A rush of air sounded out from the other line before he heard Kol speak on the other end. It was the first time he was truly speaking to his brother since Kol had been told that Beatrix was dead. They had avoided each other at the ball, and now he was faced with an angry Kol, something that never ended well.

" _That's enough, Elijah. If you threaten my wife again, I'll destroy you._ "

Exasperation and frustration were at war with each other. He needed the two on the phone to understand what he was saying, but he didn't know how to express his fears without sounding disingenuous. Trying once more to be reasonable he addressed them both.

"I wasn't threatening her, merely stating facts. I don't want any more plotting."

Kol laughed harshly with derision, but he heard a faint click which he identified a second later as a phone being put down when he heard the fragments of a conversation between Kol and Beatrix quietly happening in the background.

"– _face him sooner or later, better on our terms_ – "

"- _alright seeing him? You don't have_ – "

 _"– scared, but okay_."

Elijah was slightly startled when the phone was picked up again and Kol spoke to him in an even voice that gave nothing away.

" _We can meet for dinner this evening, if you truly want to speak. Use your own cellular phone, Bea will message you the details. If you speak to Bea again with-_ "

A scuffling sound once more broke out on the end of the line, and Beatrix seemingly gained the upper hand when she said, " _Meet us there tonight._ "

When the dial tone rang out and he realized they had hung up, he slowly put down the phone. Rebekah, who had evidently been standing right outside and eavesdropping, pushed open the door and sat beside him on the couch, snatching her phone back.

"So that didn't go entirely poorly. Bea sounds terrified of you, though."

Elijah let out a sigh. Rebekah had an expression on her face that he didn't immediately recognize. It was apprehension. He realized why a moment later when she began slowly speaking, in a quiet voice.

"What exactly happened the night Kol was daggered?"

Elijah had known that she would ask at some point. When Rebekah had come home from school a week ago and almost attacked Niklaus, he'd been baffled. However, a moment later she'd revealed that she knew about Beatrix's murder. Elijah, having just been told himself, had been somewhat surprised by the vehemence of her reaction. But it made sense now that he had seen that the two women got along and were growing closer. So with reluctance, he began speaking.

"Kol had been killing witches that were under Niklaus's protection. He was convinced that they were trying to raise Silas, who would end the world. He had to be stopped, so we tracked him down. Neither of us knew he was married, but Beatrix saw us use the dagger on him."

Rebekah interrupted with a strained tone, but was clearly holding back a worse reaction when she said, "She _watched_ you dagger Kol?"

Elijah nodded, but continued speaking.

"She was… harmed when we sought answers as to who she was. So when Niklaus left to store Kol's body, I healed her and then compelled her to forget about Kol. That was all that I was present for."

Rebekah kept a straight face, though her tone gave away her anger and disgust when she responded to him.

"She told me about what followed. Nik went back that night. He didn't realize you healed her, and he snapped her neck. He deposited her body in a river. When she awoke she swallowed blood that had been in her mouth after biting her tongue as a human and caught on fire. Kol had been part of her life for five years, so you had erased almost all of that time."

Elijah didn't know how to respond to that. Hearing it spelled out so point blank made him feel sick with regret. This was his sister-in-law. And he and Niklaus had condemned her to this existence in the most brutal of ways.

When Rebekah let out a long breath and slumped back against the couch while texting, he knew that she had gotten out most of her anger. She began talking again without making eye contact, but this time in an entirely amused tone of voice, a complete contrast to before.

"I think she and Nik would get along, that's the strangest part. If he hadn't killed her, of course."

Elijah let himself relax a fraction as well. After contemplating the dinner plans he had in store, he turned to his sister and began asking her about what he could expect.

"What is Beatrix like? If I'm to see the two this evening what should my approach be?"

Bekah snorted in response to his question but met his eyes when she answered, "I can't coach you on how to act. Kol and I are getting along oddly well because I _didn't_ contribute to Bea's death. That's one, actually – she goes by Be a, not Beatrix. As far as personality goes – well. Hm. Imagine Kol, but nicer and sentimental towards a few people."

Elijah tried to think that over, but couldn't picture it.

"That seems contradictory."

Bekah waved off his words and sounded a little annoyed when she said, "Oh, do shut up. You know as well as I do that Kol can be good to the people he loves. And the two of them are absurdly in love. It makes me a bit jealous, actually."

To hear his sister admit that was surprising. However, her next words caught him equally off-guard. Holding up her phone, she spoke in a blasé tone.

"I asked Bea if I could crash your dinner plans and she agreed. She gave me the restaurant and reservation time."

This would be a very, _very_ interesting evening.

* * *

Klaus wasn't stupid. He might be arguably a bit hubristic, but not to the point of stupidity. So of course he'd been spying on his siblings. Installing an application on Rebekah's phone so he received her texts was simple, especially when she was still struggling a bit with modern technology and didn't recognize what it was.

For the most part, her conversations with Beatrix were inane and about very superficial topics. On a single occasion she'd expressed her desire to murder Kol and asked for help hiding his dessicated body, but the woman had clearly been facetious when two hours later she'd said in a message that made him absolutely cringe, "Never mind. We're very good. I can't feel my legs."

Bekah's disgusted reply echoed his own feelings. He _did not_ need to know about Kol's sex life.

Klaus was a bad man. It wasn't an opinion or subjective - he knew that his actions defined him in such a manner but any and all standards. Because of that, he didn't often feel regret. But although his feelings were convoluted, he could honestly say that he regretted the manner in which he murdered Kol's wife. However, it wasn't as straightforward as that. It was because of _him_ that she was still alive. He'd been the one to make her into a vampire in a way.

He didn't regret killing her, seeing as it had made her immortal. But he did regret how it had played out.

Being a vampire didn't cement one's personality. They were capable of change, and as loathe as he was to admit it, Klaus had changed the way he viewed romantic love and affection in the last century. So although he didn't understand what Kol's rage must be, he understood the concept of it. After all, his vision had gone red when he had heard that Kol and his wife had nearly harmed Caroline. He _fancied_ Caroline. Perhaps it could turn in to something more.

But Kol had evidently truly loved Beatrix for _years_.

So he had stayed away from them. It had taken half a day to track down where Beatrix lived and to find out who the woman she lived with was. Klaus wasn't ignorant to the fact that Kol was likely apoplectic and planning to exact revenge. But he would give them a few more days before he made his move and confronted Kol.


	29. Chapter 29

Bea was staring at herself in the mirror. Her smoky eye was perfect and her eyelashes looked fantastic with the new mascara she'd been trying out. But every anxiety that plagued her was rearing its head.

She was going to see Elijah in a few hours. _She wasn't ready_.

Every few minutes Bea had to take deep breaths to calm herself down. Rigby had been wonderful and made it clear that she would be around for support, but had known Bea well enough to give her some space. At the moment Bea could hear her in the kitchen chatting with Kol about magic.

With a glance down to her outfit, Bea decided to stop fussing about her appearance. The dress she was wearing showed her copious scarring, but in the last decade or so Bea had honestly stopped feeling as though they were something to be ashamed of, so it wasn't enormously troublesome to bare them. Her _very_ high stilettos made her feel a little bit more confident, and at least she'd only be eight inches shorter than Kol.

 _Great_.

However, her mind was plagued with self-doubt. There were so many emotions going through her that she wanted to scream or cry or feed and tear someone's head off.

What bothered her _immensely_ was the stupid fucking thought in the back of her head – she wanted to impress Elijah.

Ugh. Bea shouldn't give a shit what he thought of her. But she couldn't shake the notion that she was meeting a member of Kol's _family_. She already adored Bekah and was glad the girl would be there as well to act as a buffer, but it was still nerve wracking.

After a few more deep breaths, Bea realized that the discussion in the kitchen had ended when she heard the front door of the apartment close. A second later Kol entered the bathroom connected to the bedroom they'd been in, where Bea was still fretting. Rigby must have left the two alone. Perhaps she was visiting Katie again.

And _that_ was another source of stress. Katie was a manipulative, fun, carefree bitch. Rigby had already assured Bea that she was aware of this, but she was terrified that Rigby would be hurt by the relationship in the end.

Bea watched Kol approach her in the mirror as he came to stand beside her. When he reached to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear, she turned to meet his gaze.

"I'm nervous."

Kol leaned down and kissed her softly, pulling away before it deepened and hugging her to his chest. As he slowly ran his fingers through her hair he murmured to her.

"That's alright. I won't let anything happen to you."

Bea sighed lowly and let herself relax into the embrace. When he moved down to kiss her neck, she shivered. As his lips lightly brushed against her skin, he started speaking.

" _My wild girl, we have had to regain time and march backward, in the distance of our lives, kiss after kiss_."

Bea hummed in response to his words before saying with a snort, "You didn't come up with that yourself."

Kol pulled back completely, a cocky grin on his face when he replied, "No. Fellow named Pablo Neruda. But you should be flattered that I memorized poetry for you. I thought it especially fitting for us."

Bea gasped with overdone surprise and lifted her hands to cover her mouth in false shock. After melodramatically swooning she said in an infatuated tone, "Oh, I'd thought you were showing interest in being my gentleman caller, but I hadn't dared to hope."

Kol's face went entirely blank before an amused expression took over.

"You are absolutely awful. Taking the romance out of everything."

Bea smirked and realized that most of her nervousness had been abolished. Laughing lightly at Kol's words, she shrugged and answered him.

"You love me anyway."

"Unfortunately."

Bea began to smile, charmed by his clear joking, when he interrupted what she was going to say.

"Want a distraction?"

Bea suppressed her pleased look and instead looked unaffected when she drawled in a bored tone, "Hm. I suppose."

Kol, of course, rose to the bait and immediately lifted her up, ignoring her indignant shriek before putting her down gently on their bed. He climbed up next to her immediately, but instead of moving on top of her he laid flat beside her on his back with his arms loosely crossed behind his head, looking entirely relaxed.

"Well, darling? I'm yours to use."

Bea burst into laughter at the awful line, but smiled a second after she'd finally quieted and kicked off her underwear. Without any fanfare she pulled down Kol's trousers and boxers to his knees, seeing that he was half-hard already. Stroking him a few times did the trick, and she swung her leg over him so her knees were on either side of his hips.

After kneeling above Kol's pelvis and shifting her dress to the side so she could see what she was doing, she began moving her hips in a slow rhythm, rubbing herself against him but not taking him inside of her just yet, letting herself grow wet at the sensation. Kol, ever so impatient, gripped her hips and quickly upset her balance. However, when he tried to pull her down to kiss her, Bea pulled out of his embrace.

Trailing her fingers over his shoulders and then down his biceps, Bea was once again appreciative of her husband's form. But when she reached his wrists she tightened her hands around them and moved his arms so they were stretched out above his head.

Kol looked absolutely _delighted_ at the change – she hadn't taken control in bed in a while – and he immediately crossed her wrists together, keeping them still at the headboard.

At seeing her husband's complacency, Bea felt yet another spark of arousal grow between her legs, and she was sure to press harder against Kol when she ground herself over him yet again, letting out a content sigh as she did. His compliance contrasted with the tenseness in his muscles and _fuck_ Bea wanted to devour him.

Lust and bloodlust at times combined when Kol and Bea had sex. The slow love-making – god, she despised that term – was exactly that, but when she was desperate… it was a dichotomy of hunger for pleasure and hunger for his blood, his flesh, the noises she could viciously wrench from him with a well-timed canting of her hips.

Kol didn't move, only tensed in response to her movement. Satisfied with his behavior, Bea reached down and guided him between her legs, finally sinking down onto him and letting him fill her completely.

It felt so devious to be having sex entirely clothed. Especially when the way her dress was draping over his hips meant that it was impossible to see their states of partial-undress. Bea's thoughts wandered, considering the implications of their position fully… they could do this wherever they wanted. She could sink down on Kol and force him to keep his composure and –

Kol's hips jolted upwards minutely and Bea unbalanced, moving forward and catching herself with her hands splayed on his chest. Bea glared at him icily at the disregard of their unspoken rules. Kol let out a disgruntled groan but stilled, muttering lowly but sincerely, "Sorry, love. I'll behave."

Bea smiled fondly at this but sat back up. Moving her arms behind her, she braced herself on Kol's thighs before she began undulating her hips.

 _Merde_ , he felt good inside of her.

She found a rhythm after a few moments of trying out what would feel the best, and let her eyes close, leaning back more and letting herself _take_. Minutes went by and Bea felt as though she was floating away, focusing only on the way her body felt and the warmth that sparked low in her belly every time she moved.

When she began slowly lifting herself up and down before grinding down hard on Kol's cock, she heard his harsh intake of breath following by a suppressed groan. Bea's eyes opened and she looked down to see him clenching his jaw with his head thrown back on the pillow. Knowing that he was probably getting close to the edge, she decided to take mercy.

With a low hum Bea let her vampiric face descend and leaned down further to trail her lips over his neck, following the strained tendons with light scrapes from her fangs. The new angle made her clit brush against Kol's body with every roll of her hips and Bea felt him minutely shift each time her body tightened around him.

"God, you feel so good. You're so good, all mine. And je suis a vous, mon amour. You can touch."

Kol grunted and his hands immediately flew to Bea's waist, shifting her back and forth over him much more quickly than she'd been moving. After a minute of his movements matched with her own jerking hips, Kol sat up and buried his face against her chest as he came.

Bea was panting and smiling. Not having an orgasm during sex wasn't a fucking death sentence like everyone tried to make it out to be – sex still felt fantastic, and he'd be making it up to her later. She felt boneless and relaxed, pleased with the look on her husband's face. She began petting his hair and with his lips still pressed against her skin, Kol began whispering again in the tone of voice he'd used to quote poetry minutes before.

" _My love, we have found each other thirsty and we have drank up all the water and the blood, we found each other hungry and we bit each other as fire bites, leaving wounds in us._ "

Bea silently agreed that Kol might have been onto something with this Neruda fellow.

* * *

It shouldn't have caught them off guard when they entered the restaurant. They had arrived right on time, but Kol knew Elijah well enough to predict that he would arrive early to their meeting. Still, Kol froze in the doorway when he felt Bea do the same upon seeing Elijah and Bekah sitting down and having a conversation in the corner of the main dining area.

Kol knew that Bea was putting on a brave face. But she'd sacrificed her pride and admitted her fear to him, which had let him know how deeply she was affected.

Upon seeing Bekah catch sight of them and wave them over, Kol felt Bea grip his hand tightly in hers, squeezing hard enough that he suppressed a wince. However, instead he simply stepped slightly in front of her as a quasi-barrier between her and his older brother. After hearing her breathing even out, he leaned down and whispered to her quietly enough that his siblings wouldn't hear.

"I'm right here, _chéri_. If you want to leave, that's what we'll do."

Of course Bea took that as a challenge of sorts and he felt an enormous amount of pride for his wife when he saw her stand up taller and straighten her shoulders.

"No. Let's enjoy a dinner we insist he'll pay for."

And with that the two of them walked over to the table side by side.

Kol pulled out Bea's chair for her, and she sank down into the seat across from Bekah, while Kol then seated himself so that he was facing Elijah. Immediately he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her against his side.

Elijah was seemingly studying his face, and Kol began to feel impatient when his brother's expression gave nothing away. He wanted this dinner over with already.

"Well? Anything to say for yourself after _ditching_ me last night?"

Kol could have hugged Bekah for being the one to break the silence. She had crossed her arms with a pout on her face, and he felt Bea relax against him. With a toss of her hair over her shoulder, she let out a haughty sound before she responded in a lofty tone.

"I haven't the _slightest_ idea what you mean. You never answered me after I cordially invited you to get drunk with me and – "

She cut herself off suddenly, and when Kol turned to see why, he saw that she was staring at Elijah with an apprehensive expression.

Elijah finally addressed them directly.

"I already know about the woman you live with. I give you my word that I have no intention of harming her."

Kol let out a derisive snarl at that and practically hissed when he said, "And of course, we should trust the _noble_ Elijah after you-"

Bea muttered his name under her breath and he halted his sentence, knowing that otherwise he might become violent. His wife had expressed a particular fondness for the shoes she was currently wearing and she'd be unbearably moody if they got bloodstained.

Elijah seemed awkward – something incredibly out of character – but turned to Bea and started speaking. As soon as he opened his mouth, Kol reflexively tightened his arm around Bea.

"I regret my actions the last time we met."

Kol almost burst out laughing when Bea, the little spitfire, cut in with a purposely bland tone.

"When you effectively killed my husband, assaulted me, compelled me, and killed me? Those actions?"

The table went silent, and even Bekah seemed unable to call to mind anything to say. However, a minute later Elijah cleared his throat and answered her.

"Yes. Though I had no knowledge that Niklaus had killed you until after you two had been reunited. I'd been under the impression that you'd lived out your human life."

Bea narrowed her eyes at him, and Kol recognized that expression. She was most likely about to verbally eviscerate his older brother.

"Had he not killed me, what do you believe my life would have been like? The best-case scenario? I was with Kol for _five years_ , you knowingly made me forget a fifth of my life. And then I couldn't get back into my house after I was turned, because you had _compelled me to forget about vampires_. And Jesus fucking Christ you did all this after _killing my husband in front of me!_ Did you tell yourself later that you'd been merciful or kind? _Allez vous faire foutre_ – "

Bekah cut in as Bea's voice became shrill and louder, likely not wanting anyone around them to overhear the conversation.

"So, Bea, when will I get to meet Rigby?"

Bea huffed, clearly seeing through the ploy, but averted her eyes from Elijah. Truthfully, Kol was incredibly glad that Bea had seemingly shed her nervousness about his brother seeing as she'd just told him to go fuck himself. For a second he wondered if Elijah was fluent in French.

Kol, however, was _not_ going to even temporarily stifle his rage towards his brother.

"If you had a lover, I would have delivered their head to your doorstep."

Elijah's expression became pinched at his threat, and his voice was neutral when he responded, "Well then it seems fortunate for me that I currently don't."

Bekah rolled her eyes across the table, as if their discussion was merely a squabble over something inane, and Kol's temper flared even further. He knew that his anger was legendary, but when he was calm – oh, he could do _much_ more damage. So when he spoke, it was with a flat voice that gave nothing away.

"Bea and I have been working with witches and looking into the specifics and the ramifications of the spell mother performed on us to turn us. What it entails, any side effects. _Bloodlines_ came up."

He leaned forward, but Bea's steady hand on his forearm grounded him and kept him from attacking in public.

"I would be looking into ways to torture or kill you. Maybe make you forget portions of your own life. But if one of our family members dies, _every single vampire we've turned and that've been turned after them dies._ "

Elijah and Bekah both startled at that and stared at him with shock. He'd been equally surprised to discover that when he and Bea had first begun looking into the spell to see if there truly was a specific reason she was stronger than she should be. They hadn't gotten the answers they sought, but they'd discovered the information about killing off a line.

Elijah immediately understood what he was saying and nodded in understanding before he turned towards Bea, who sat stoically.

"My blood turned you."

Bea smiled sarcastically and Kol knew his expression was probably a more sadistic version. She was supposed to have been turned by _him_. There was a primal, possessive rage that overcame him every time he thought of her somehow being connected to his _brother_.

"Yes, thank you, I was there."

Bekah once more seemed to try to calm everyone down and said, "Nothing can change what happened. But you need to think about what you've been planning against – "

The water glass Kol had picked up a moment ago shattered in his hand. Immediately a waiter came over and began cleaning up. Kol gripped the man's arm and yanked him closer as everyone in the restaurant turned back to their own meals upon seeing that it was evidently being taken care of.

" _Isolate yourself and slice open your wrist to fill two-_ "

After Bea nudged him, he let out a resigned sigh and continued compelling the man, " _fine. Four wine glasses and deliver them to our table_."

As soon as the waiter left, Bea leaned over, pecked his cheek, and said, "It's only polite, _mon amour_."

Kol, however, wasn't distracted from his anger.

"You _still_ take his side. Bea was and is _everything_ to me. My best friend and the woman I love. After Nik _killed my wife_ you continue to defend him. It has been this way for one thousand years! Standing by as I'm wronged."

To his surprise, Bea took his hand and squeezed it tightly before she stood up. When he looked at her she had a soft expression on her face. It was a mixture of sadness and fondness. As she spoke quietly, he understood why.

" _Je t'aime tellement_ , but this a conversation for you and your brother and sister. Stay and enjoy your meal. I'll wait up for you."

She leaned down and kissed him gently, clearly trying to convey her sincerity. Kol of course took the opportunity to lick into her mouth and turn the innocent gesture into something a bit inappropriate. When she pulled away her face was flaming with a blush. Narrowing her eyes, she said in an embarrassed and annoyed voice, "Your siblings are sitting _right there_. You are sleeping on the couch tonight."

Kol smirked and remained nonchalant when he said, "I'll change your mind."

A second later she turned around and strode out of the restaurant.

* * *

Bea ran home in a state of detachment. It felt as though she'd separated herself from the events of the night. Usually she wasn't good at lying to Kol, but she'd been able to convince him that she was alright.

She wasn't, of course. Every time she looked at Elijah she remembered every detail of the night she was killed. For him it had been a century ago. But _she_ had regained her memories and re-watched her life only months ago.

Every lilt in his voice, the stoic tone – it was the voice that had destroyed her life.

After she was on the correct street, she began wandering slowly towards her apartment, lost in thought. But when she was only two blocks away, she was pulled into an alley.

A large hand clamped over her mouth, and her scream went unheard as vervain was injected into her bloodstream.


	30. Chapter 30

Bea had never been taken captive before. However, it didn't take a genius to realize what had happened, especially when she became hazily conscious and immediately felt the sensation of vervain around her wrists as she laid on the hard ground.

Letting out a cry as her flesh burned, Bea's eyes flew open and she began trying to pull at her restraints. While looking around wildly she noted that she was in a basement of sorts, based on the concrete flooring and stairwell that led upstairs. There was no sign of whoever had taken her.

When she turned around to get a better look at what was holding her, her stomach dropped.

The thick metal chains that encircled her wrists were looped multiple times around hooks and rings embedded in the wall. They were coated very obviously with vervain, seeing as _her fucking skin was sizzling_. But that wasn't even the worst part.

There were multiple vervain plants on the other end of the room and the infected air was likely causing her dizziness. Behind the plants were a few industrial strength fans pointed towards her. This… _this_ was about to get bad. Really, really bad.

Bea wasn't positive who'd abducted her. She and Rigby had enemies, sure. But not any blood feuds or ridiculously over-the-top vows of revenge, other than –

Oh. Well. This was likely Niklaus.

Her thoughts couldn't wander too far. Every other second she was focused back on the pain in her wrists that now made her eyes tear up. It didn't stop. Though the acidic properties of the vervain seemingly weren't going to eat away at her flesh to the point of massive internal injury due to her body constantly healing itself, it still _fucking hurt_.

Bea didn't quite know what to do. Should she scream to alert somebody nearby? Or would that draw the attention of her captors? Would faking continued unconsciousness work?

As she shifted, the vervain touched another part of her arm it hadn't yet and she cried out once again. Faking unconsciousness wasn't going to work.

In the midst of her frantic brainstorm, footsteps echoed out from the ceiling, letting her know that people were walking around in the room above her. Only a moment later she made out the sound of people walking towards the top of the staircase, and the door creaked open. When her captors descended and finally stood in front of her, Bea tilted her head back and addressed them in a lofty drawl.

"This is the crack team that foils my every plan? I am deeply shamed."

The high school girls looked confused at that and the younger Salvatore was squinting at Bea as if trying to figure out what she'd said. But Damon Salvatore snorted and sounded incredulous when he said, "A _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_ reference? Really?"

Bea shrugged as best she could and tried to appear calm. She was not letting these arrogant little ingrates know how deeply she was rattled by the current situation. Especially because she'd left Kol with his siblings, and they'd likely take _hours_ to even begin to sort out their troubles.

Kol wouldn't know she'd been taken for a while. So there was no one coming to help her.

Bea didn't like playing the damsel in distress. But she wasn't a complete moron – right now she needed assistance. No matter how irritating or immature, the doppelganger, witch, and three vampires were in control of the situation and she couldn't overpower them.

She could, however, try to figure out why they had a stick up their asses.

"Why am I in your basement? The interior design is in need of some updating and this dress that's getting dirty costs more than a human kidney on the black market."

Stefan was the one to walk over and crouch down in front of her, making eye contact.

"This isn't _our_ basement. This belongs to a nice woman two towns over from Mystic Falls with an isolated house who was compelled to only let us in. So don't worry, your pride will be intact if you start to scream. There's no one to hear you."

Bea began to feel fear come over her, which wasn't going to help the situation at all. So she let the fear become rage.

"You didn't give me an answer, _salaud_."

Stefan laughed at that and had an edge to his voice when he said, "You don't get to make any demands. You aren't the one in charge right now."

Damon seemed to want to skip to the main event and lightly pulled Stefan back, taking a step forward himself to address her.

"What are you doing in Mystic Falls?"

Bea was fairly sure she had explained herself, actually. And even clarified that she would be leaving soon. Rigby had asked that she not start anything with the little rag-tag group in front of her, so she hadn't killed them all or asked Kol to kill them all that day in the school parking lot. She sorely regretted that choice now.

"Currently I'm being tortured."

None of them moved or seemed to take her bait, but a few of their expressions tightened and she figured she may as well get it over with so they would let her go.

"I'm not planning anything specifically in Mystic Falls, actually. I've gotten what I wanted and will be leaving soon. Any plans I have are unrelated to your little Scooby gang. There's no reason to keep me here."

What Stefan said next, however, actually left her a bit baffled.

"I saw the woman you said was your sister with Katherine a few days ago, after you spent time with the Originals. You compelled Elena and you tried to kill Caroline. And you're really saying that you aren't planning against us?"

Bea nodded. And then turned to face the blonde vampire in question with a very put off expression.

"If I had wanted Miss Forbes dead, _she would be in pieces_."

A blinding pain flashed through her head and Bea couldn't hold in a scream. She felt her fangs descend as blood filled the veins beneath her eyes and tried instinctively to press her hands against the sides of her head, but the restraints didn't allow her that much movement and instead the vervain-coated metal bit even further into her wrists, prompting another scream.

The pain stopped, and Bea was left panting. The Bennett witch had her hand extended and wore a judgmental expression. Jesus fucking Christ, what did these people want from her? So she'd compelled the doppelganger! Rigby fucking Katie was none of their business. And _Caroline_? Bea saved the girl, which apparently had been the wrong decision seeing as it counted for jack shit.

When Rigby and she had set out to Mystic Falls all those months ago to retrieve Kol's body, they had not predicted a bizarrely self-righteous group of teenagers getting themselves involved. And Bea had never before been tortured. She'd been in extreme pain before, yes, but this was new to her. To now be suffering at the hands of her former students somehow felt especially degrading.

"Feel like talking yet?"

Bea had to take a few deep breaths before she looked at the witch and said as evenly as she could, "Miss Bennett, you're being particularly disruptive today. You'll be seeing me later."

Bea shifted slightly, allowing her posture to slump slightly against the wall, and kept her tone falsely nonchalant when she spoke to the group – a direct contrast to her scathing words.

"Funnily enough, your little group has killed _many_ more in Mystic Falls than I have, and unlike you I haven't tortured anyone. What's your count? The drug addict, the ripper's best friend, the werewolves, the tomb vampires, the carnie, Elijah's mages, I guess everyone who died when you attempted to avoid the ritual just to name a few - maybe _you_ should be the ones chained up like animals in a basement."

The high school students all seemed to have lost a significant portion of their bravado, but the Salvatore brothers' resolve evidently became stronger.

"You know all this because you've been spying and working with Katherine and the Originals."

Bea couldn't tell them about the plans Kol and she had been only just outlining against Klaus. They couldn't know about what had happened to her at Elijah and Klaus's hands – for now they had to remain in the dark about the feud between the Mikaelson brothers. Any outside interference when the Originals were already at odds could make the situation much, much worse. Their possible belief that Klaus was her ally might make them wary to hurt her.

To her immense surprise, Caroline suddenly began talking in a low, somewhat apprehensive voice.

"She didn't _really_ try to kill me, I told you guys she threatened me, but she stopped Kol from killing me. She might be- "

She was cut off by the witch, who spoke in a harsh tone when she said, "Are you really ready to take that risk? She's after Elena and a risk to everyone in this town!"

Bea rolled her eyes, she couldn't help it. Not everything was about the stupid doppelganger. The girl was merely a lesser version of Katie.

"Let me go. This is the only time I will tell you. I understand protecting the ones you love, but _I am not plotting against you_. If you let me leave now, I might spare some of you."

Damon smirked, and Bea knew that it was a hopeless endeavor. When he nudged Stefan and Caroline then lightly grabbed Elena's hand to lead them upstairs, Bea knew something bad was about to happen. _Especially_ when Caroline cast a nervous, pitying expression at her over her shoulder. Once the Bennett witch was the only one left in the basement, the girl began walking toward the fans behind the vervain plants.

Bea would not beg. But her throat tightened and she could feel a wave of panic when the girl reached for the switches.

"We'll come down later, when you're ready to talk."

Bea's screams echoed in every room of the house.

* * *

Nearly two hours had passed and Caroline still flinched every time she heard the vampire downstairs scream. Being a vampire herself meant she could hear every sob and wet breath the woman took through a throat that was likely bleeding due to the intense amount of vervain in the air.

Elena had left, escorted by Stefan and Damon to 'round up supplies' or whatever. On one hand Caroline understood why she wasn't here – it wasn't really safe for her as a human – but on the other hand she felt a tiny, vindictive part of her wishing Elena had to listen to the screams, too. Because honestly? Caroline felt like she was starting to crack.

Bea hadn't spoken yet, instead keeping her cries wordless. When she once again heard a small, stifled sob, the handle of the mug of tea Caroline was holding fractured.

Bonnie was sitting across from her at the kitchen table – directly next to the top of the basement staircase – and could hear the cries as well. Upon hearing the crack of the porcelain mug handle, she raised her eyebrows with an expectant expression, as if she couldn't imagine why Caroline was having trouble.

"Bonnie, this isn't us."

Immediately after she finished talking in a beseeching voice, Bonnie's expression closed off completely and she sounded derisive when she responded.

"We aren't the bad guys here. She is working with the Originals _and_ Katherine. Did you just forget everything they've done? Katherine killed you, and Klaus destroyed everything. Finding out their plans will let us save lives. If you can't handle it, leave and get Damon or Stefan back here."

The same sick feeling didn't leave the pit of her stomach. Ever since Stefan had shown up with an unconscious Bea and decided with Damon to keep her captive, Caroline had been playing their interaction from the night before over and over.

Kol, Bea, and the woman they'd called Rigby were a threat. Kol was incredibly terrifying, but he'd mentioned killing her as if it was to piss off Klaus, not because he was plotting against her and her friends.

She couldn't get Bea's expression out of her mind either – the sad, distant look when she'd said Caroline wouldn't die because it shouldn't happen 'again'. But that made no sense, because Katherine had killed Caroline the first time and weren't they working together?

Bea had said killing her would make the teenagers 'annoying'. And Caroline had been sure that it meant she didn't want to act just _yet_. But now when she thought back over it and theoretically tried to view the situation as if Bea wasn't lying –

Caroline and her friends would be 'annoying' because they weren't involved in Bea, Kol and Rigby's plans. That meant that pissing off Klaus wasn't just about the daggers, it had to be something bigger. When her theory began spinning out of control, a part of the conversation she'd forgotten amid all of her fear came back.

" _It's only fair after what he did to Bea_."

With a fake smile, Caroline tried to put Bonnie at ease and said, "I'm going to go try to find something to eat in the woods. I'll be back in ten."

When she sped outside and finally stopped a mile away, she pulled her phone out of her pocket. Scrolling through her contacts, she paused and stared at the one her finger now hovered over.

This could put them all in danger and it would definitely complicate things. But Caroline _had_ to know if they were wrong about Bea, if she was telling the truth. If they kept torturing a woman because they'd guessed incorrectly, Caroline wouldn't be able to look herself in the eye ever again.

When she finally pressed down, the person on the other end picked up nearly immediately. Without waiting a second, Caroline blurted out, "Is there a reason Kol's wife, Bea, would be mad at you? Besides the daggers?"

There was a pause before Klaus responded to her question.

"I was the one who killed her."

* * *

 _As always, please let me know what you think of Kol, Bea, etc. and if anyone seems OOC_


	31. Chapter 31

Elijah studied Kol's face as his brother watched Beatrix walk out of the restaurant. He hadn't seen them interact before tonight, and although Bekah had been describing their relationship as genuine it was still strange to see Kol openly display such emotion to another.

Elijah could admit to himself that he wanted to stall the more dramatic portion of the following conversation so he asked in a bland tone, "She speaks French?"

Kol whipped his head around to look at him and seemed to assess Elijah's face. A second later, however, the waiter Kol had previously compelled returned with the four glasses filled with blood. The man quickly placed them on the table and left, so immediately Kol grabbed one to take a long drink.

When he had put it back down, he answered Elijah's question in an even, emotionless tone.

"Yes. We go back and forth equally between the two at home. She switches by accident very occasionally, but when she wants to make others uncomfortable and off-guard or insult them in a particularly crass manner she does it on purpose."

That certainly explained her sudden transition when she began to insult him. For a brief moment he felt a spark of curiosity for what the woman would have said if she hadn't been derailed – Elijah hadn't been properly insulted in French since New Orleans nearly a century ago.

Kol broke him from his errant thought when he leaned forward and placed both hands on the table, an angry expression on his face.

"Shall we continue to skirt around our actual conversational topics and blather on with false pleasantries, or should we _actually bloody talk_?"

Elijah let out a sigh, but ultimately understood why it was prudent to begin discussing their more serious issues.

"Kol, I truly understand why you feel the way you do." Seeing that his younger brother had opened his mouth to interrupt, he quickly continued, "I _know_ that I cannot fathom it. But going against Niklaus is suicidal. You've gotten your wife back – _leave with her_. Retrieve your dagger. But don't put yourself and Beatrix in danger."

Kol's expression remained blank throughout Elijah's words, and when he finished speaking a tense silence settled over the table. This time it was Bekah who tried to step in.

"Bea is my sister. You know I already adore her. I've always been closer to Nik, I know, but the very last thing I want is you or her harmed. Nik undaggered us because he truly wanted us together again. _Please_ do as Elijah says – she told me about the plans you'd made to travel. Go, and I – I understand if you never want to see any of us again."

When Kol responded, it was in a cold voice that never wavered.

"Why must I be the one to flee with my tail between my legs like a wounded dog? Why is it that Nik never has to pay for his crimes? He _murdered_ Bea. And yet you two have done nothing but support him. Am I not owed vengeance? Is Bea?"

Dark veins had begun to spread beneath Kol's eyes, and with reluctance Elijah asked, "Can we take this conversation elsewhere?"

A sadistic smile covered his younger brother's face, and Elijah suppressed a wince when he said in a gleeful tone, "But of course brother. I'm hungry for dessert and haven't had a good slaughter in _hours_."

* * *

"I won't lie about Kol. I'll lie about anything else when I need to save my skin, but never about loving him."

"I just don't understand. How can you be with someone like him? He's- "

"Kol is _everything_ to me. And I'm his everything, too."

Caroline could see the soft grin that covered Bea's face, only slightly tainted by the specks of her own blood at the corners of her lips. The woman had to be in pain, but her expression was almost giddy – like a teenager with a first love. For a brief second Caroline wondered if she would ever meet someone who would love her like that - unconditionally for a century.

Bonnie was gone and wouldn't be back for another twenty minutes – driving home quickly to grab a few supplies from Mystic Falls, and Caroline felt a spike of unease and self-doubt at what she was doing. Walking into the basement was _awful_ – the vervain spores floating in the air had immediately burned at her skin like acid - but the low, delirious sigh of relief Bea had let out when Caroline had turned off the fans and the spores of vervain in the air dissipated after a few minutes had made her sure that the decision was the best one.

Bea hadn't been able to tell who it was in the basement with her right away, and Caroline had realized _why_ with a surge of nausea when she'd seen the milky look of blindness due to Bea's eyes having been burned with the vervain. After talking to Klaus on the phone – well, Caroline was pretty sure that she and her friends were being the bad guys right now.

Caroline startled when Bea started speaking again. It was in an offhandedly amused tone, and seemed surprisingly genuine when she spoke.

"It doesn't matter what I say, you'll never see Kol the way I do. He thinks I'm waiting up for him at home right now, though obviously when he returns he'll have realized I'm not."

That was another blow. To hear it mentioned so casually, that she, Bonnie, Elena, and the Salvatores were the torturers keeping a woman from her husband right now was awful. It wasn't _fair_. They had only taken Bea because they thought she was trying to hurt Elena, and maybe she still was! When they'd been tying her up it had seemed _more_ than justified – Caroline had seen it as the right thing to do to save people in town.

"We didn't- "

Bea croaked out a hoarse laugh, interrupting Caroline's attempt at an explanation and said, "Sweetheart, _you did_. This good-cop routine right now doesn't change the fact that I'm a prisoner to your little group. I'm in poisoned _shackles_. Your conscience doesn't change that. I might be a monster, but at least I'm upfront about it."

There was a lull, and Caroline struggled to keep her thoughts from wandering. Because truthfully? If she let herself consider the current situation too much, she might do something really, _really_ stupid - like let Bea go.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, Miss Forbes." The woman let out a sign and leaned more fully against the wall behind her, a deceptively relaxed expression on her face. "You at least aren't as insufferable as the others."

Caroline scoffed and tried to sound unaffected when she said, "You're the one who just pointed out that I'm torturing you."

Bea snorted and waved her hand, as if Caroline had said something obviously foolish. However, the clanking sound of the chains she was being kept in made the gesture the opposite of dismissive of her treatment.

"Good people are capable of doing bad things."

Caroline thought about that for a second before responding, "Like you?"

When Bea turned to look at her dead in the eye, the entire atmosphere of the room felt like it shifted. Bea was the one chained to the wall, but Caroline felt like she was the captive when the woman slowly spoke with an almost disbelieving tone.

"No, not like me. There are very few people in the world with loose enough morals to consider me to be good. You're a _child_ , Miss Forbes. This whole little group of yours sees the world in black and white – good guys and villains. It's frankly bizarre, what with two murderous vampires included in your band. But you judged me to be a villain, so it was okay for you to kidnap me. And right now you're trying to view me as a good guy because you want a reason to let me loose, seeing as suddenly you feel guilty about torturing me."

Caroline stiffened. This woman couldn't – Bonnie would be _so mad_ already that Caroline had turned off the fans, Bea couldn't tell them that –

"You won't get one. Right now, I might seem helpless. Maybe like a love-struck girl who got in over her head with a bad man. But I'm _not_. The 'bad man' and I are perfectly compatible. I'm only here because the Salvatores managed to catch me off guard."

Caroline heard her phone go off and looked down to see a text she'd received. Apparently Bonnie would be back in a few minutes. When she looked back up, Bea was looking at her with a tight expression. With what looked like false bravado she said in a lofty voice, "Well, go on up now. And you'll be turning on the fans again, I'm sure. The Bennett cunt can't know you gave me reprieve."

Caroline's mouth fell open, an automatic defense of Bonnie ready, but realized there wasn't any point. With a resigned sigh and a lump in her throat, she did as Bea had predicted and walked toward the fans. She pressed her palm against her own mouth to avoid inhaling the spores that were about to fill the room once more.

Before the loud hum of the fans began, she heard Bea's tired-sounding whisper.

"For this, yours will be painless."

Bea was chained in a basement filled with vervain. Caroline had Bonnie, the Salvatores, Elena, and the rest of her friends as back up, while nobody knew where Bea was or even that she'd been taken captive. But still, as Caroline hurried back into the kitchen of the house they were in she felt like Beatrix Mikaelson somehow had the upper hand.


	32. Chapter 32

Warning: There will be graphic violence in the final section

* * *

Katherine stared down at the mug of coffee Rigby had made her. There was the perfect amount of sugar and cream in it. She was fairly certain she'd only made coffee in front of the other woman once or twice and – well, it made her feel strange to know that Rigby paid that much attention to her.

Katherine was used to being adored. She was beautiful and enchanting and could manipulate anyone she wished. She had been in relationships that sometimes stretched years with both men and women for the sole purpose of getting things she wanted. The only reason she had reached out to Rigby and started seeing her consistently was because one of her contacts had let Katherine know that the two women she had partied with decades ago were connected to the Originals.

Though she had been officially pardoned by Klaus, it was useful nonetheless to know what the Originals were up to as well as the band of misfits in Mystic Falls. It was perfectly timed with the fact that Rigby had been dumped by a human just weeks before.

She had _not_ planned to grow genuinely fond of the woman.

She was startled out of her thoughts when the woman in question sat down next to her on the couch and bumped their knees together. In response, Katherine turned to face Rigby, who rearranged herself so that her legs were crossed and she was directly looking at Katherine.

"I want to date you."

Katherine only barely managed to keep the expression of confusion off of her face. Instead she let a seductive smile spread on her lips and dropped her voice into a purr when she said, "I don't know where you've been but – "

Rigby rolled her eyes and cut her off with a tone somewhere between fondness and exasperation.

"I mean _actually_ date you. Not just serve as your source of information about Kol and the other Mikaelsons after we fuck."

Katherine froze and knew her expression was probably giving away her displeasure at being called out so blatantly. But Rigby extended her hand and grabbed one of hers, lacing their fingers together before squeezing lightly.

"I'm not oblivious. This relationship is just convenient for you. But I like you – the manipulative, petty, sarcastic you - and I think you like me, too. I want to take you on dates without any motives. So. I'm asking if you'd actually want that."

Katherine paused and let herself think before answering. When she did, it was in a slow and slightly mocking voice.

"I've been using you. You'd have to be incredibly foolish to-"

Rigby interrupted her once again with quite frankly an inappropriately fond laugh for this conversation and released her hand.

"Christ, Katie. I _know_ that, I'm not stupid or disillusioned."

Katherine _didn't_ feel a spark of warmth in her chest at the nickname every time the woman used it. Really, she didn't.

"You're incredibly naïve. I don't _do_ love. Not in hundreds of years. Why on earth do you think you're at all special?"

Rigby caught Katherine by surprise when she leaned forward. Her intention was clear when her lips hovered only inches from Katherine's own, but instead of kissing her, Rigby started speaking earnestly – strangely soft for the snarky, often sarcastic woman.

"I'm not some immature mess you'll drive away by prodding at my insecurities. I'm an awesome woman and so are you. I'm pretty confident we could be amazing."

Fuck. _Fuck_. Katherine hated Rigby in this moment. Because –

Well. Katherine _wanted_ that. So she leaned forward the last few inches that separated them and pressed her lips against Rigby's.

This wasn't going to last, obviously. Katherine had been in brief relationships and had some genuinely fun flings. She had nearly convinced herself that this would inevitably be the same.

When Rigby licked into her mouth and tangled her hands in Katherine's hair she couldn't keep in her content sigh. But a second later the door to Rigby's apartment slammed open.

Rigby pulled back and without breaking eye contact called out, "And hello to you, too, Kol. You're always welcome to barge in. Really."

When Katherine turned to look at the Original vampire, she saw that his clothing was _coated_ with blood and seemingly had some in his hair. She took note of the look of amusement on his face before he spoke to the other woman.

"Why Rigby, do you truly not think yourself capable of wooing someone who _isn't_ a doppelganger? And my brother's seconds, to boot. He won't be too upset with you, I'll likely take the brunt of his anger what with the tree branch I put through his stomach at the start of our evening on the town."

Katherine had yet to actually see either Beatrix or Rigby interact with the man in front of her, so she was taken aback when Rigby snorted and turned to the youngest Mikaelson brother before throwing a balled-up napkin that had been on the coffee table at his head.

"Big words from the man who set the microwave on fire two days ago."

Kol paused and seemed to think over her words before shrugging in acceptance. Without acknowledging Katherine any further he spoke again.

"Where is my better half? She's going to be wonderfully cranky after having to wait up so long. Dinner went on quite a few hours longer than expected – Elijah is probably still going about cleaning up the remains of my dessert. There is nothing quite like mangling a dozen corpses and disposing of them in public places to watch my older brother scramble to cover the evidence."

Katherine watched as Rigby's posture stiffened minutely. When she answered, her tone was a bit confused.

"Bea isn't with you?"

Kol's bemused smile immediately vanished. With a small frown, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. Scrolling through his contacts, Katherine assumed he was calling Beatrix. Both she and Rigby could hear exactly what was on the other end. After four rings, someone on the other end picked up.

The silence on the other end of the line clearly prompted Kol to speak as he asked tersely, "Who is this?"

Katherine startled when Damon Salvatore spoke back.

"I'm sorry, Beatrix can't come to the phone right now, she's a little tied up. I can let her know you called."

The dial tone rang out before Kol could respond.

After a minute of silence, without looking away from the spot at the wall he'd been staring at, Kol Mikaelson spoke in an even voice that didn't waver.

"They have made a grave mistake."

Following his proclamation, Katherine watched as the man became the bloodthirsty, psychotic maniac she had only ever heard stories of.

* * *

Klaus listened to the voicemail on his phone and immediately slumped back into the incredible luxe cushion of the couch he'd recently bought.

He'd assured Elijah that no, he hadn't had any part in Beatrix's kidnapping, but he knew that Kol must still be enraged and even more dangerous than usual, considering he had thrown Klaus through a _wall_ when he was last upset.

Looking down at his phone once more, he acknowledged that Caroline's random call regarding Beatrix and Kol's reasoning for being angry with him likely had to do with Beatrix's capture.

The voicemails from both Rebekah and Elijah let him know that Kol's wife had been taken captive and the Salvatore brothers were involved. His siblings were doing their best to control Kol, but he had apparently already burned down the doppelganger's house and was doing the same to the Salvatore boarding house while slaughtering anyone he came across. His younger brother had evidently been enraged to find the homes of all of the Mystic Falls group empty, delaying his vengeance and mission to rescue his wife.

Klaus was pragmatic. In fact, that might have been his most prominent feature. He knew that Kol wanted him dead. There was no way around that. But perhaps – well, perhaps delivering Kol's wife to his very doorstep could be the first step in his endeavor to restore their bond.

The problem, once again, was _Caroline._

He fancied the girl, this was true. And she was involved with the disappearance of Kol's wife. It was easy to track where Caroline's phone call had originated from – he wasn't inept when it came to technology – so within ten minutes he knew the general area that Caroline had been in when she had called him demanding random details about Kol's now-missing wife.

If he didn't alert his siblings to what he suspected he could retrieve Beatrix by himself. It wouldn't change the fact that he had killed her, but there would be an undeniable measure of debt or even reluctant gratitude on Kol and Beatrix's part if he played his cards right. However, if Caroline was involved she may very well be collateral damage. In fact, it was likely she'd meet a brutal end at his younger brother's hands for taking his wife. Klaus suspected that Kol would be even more vicious than usual, especially considering he had only been reunited with Beatrix for a few weeks.

It was quite a lot to think about. Klaus hadn't had feelings for anyone in centuries. But they were just that - _feelings_. He felt no all-consuming passion for the young vampire, and Caroline had made it clear that she did not return his affections. His brother... his brother was just that - a Mikaelson. So ten minutes later, Klaus had come to terms with his decision.

* * *

Bea was _tired_. Oh god, she was tired. Every time she took a breath it was torture. It was similar to the time she had bronchitis as a child- an inexplicable coughing and fluid in the lungs that could not be dispelled. In a weak way she held on to the hope that she would be rendered unconscious from the pain.

Fuck, she hadn't _hurt_ these children and their tamed vampires. For them to be torturing her – well, it seemed more barbaric than any situation she had ever prepared herself to be tortured. Christ, she wanted to leave this fucking town with Kol, Rigby, and Katie. To be tortured for something she had _done_ she understood, but this was literally a group of paranoid high school seniors and their deluded pets. In a strange way it was amusing to see how very, vey wrong they were in their assumptions. And Bea's faith in Kol was unwavering. She knew she would be broken out so she let the time in the basement pass dreaming up ways she and her husband could destroy the lives of all involved.

But instead of remaining strong, she was rendered blind and half-deaf in this hellhole - utterly _infuriating_.

It was incredibly strange when out of nowhere she heard the vampiric heartbeat of Caroline Forbes cease to be. A moment later, the witch's heart slowed to a point that betrayed the girl's unconsciousness.

Bea's restraints were suddenly moved and she realized that someone was trying to free her from the vervain-coated cuffs. That someone wasn't snarling savagely or embracing her, so it evidently wasn't her husband. Huh.

When the cuffs had fallen from her wrists, somewhat deliriously she murmured, "This isn't Kol."

A muffled voice she didn't recognize immediately said, "Quite right."

Bea instinctively shoved at the limbs that began jostling her and a moment later they stopped touching her. While she wondered at what was going on, the fans that were filling the spores of vervain were turned off. Christ. It was _heaven,_ the fans being off. Almost right away her eardrums and corneas began repairing themselves, allowing her to recognize what was happening just as she was lifted into someone's arms and carried out of the basement.

To Bea's _immense displeasure and terror_ , Niklaus was carrying her up the flight of stairs. When they reached the top of the stairs leading to the main floor, Bea began weakly batting at his chest in a gesture to be put down, which he quickly supported.

Wandering around slowly and carefully, Bea investigated the first floor of the house. An older human woman – most likely the original owner – was dead with what looked like a bit of fence shoved through her chest, most likely the work of Klaus killing her from the outside of the home.

When she wandered into the kitchen with Klaus trailing behind her, Bea came across the unconscious Bennett witch and Caroline Forbes on the floor, who seemed to have had her neck snapped. Deciding in that moment not to touch Caroline Forbes yet was a decision easily made. Bea was really, _really_ scared of Klaus Mikaelson, and Bea didn't want to anger him when she was isolated alone with him without Kol by her side to protect her. So in a blithe tone, Bea addressed Klaus directly for the first time since he had killed her in 1914.

"This little group all love Bonnie Bennett, correct?"

Klaus shrugged in what seemed like a dismissal of her question, so Bea hobbled over to girl, still weakened by the torture she had endured.

With an indignant huff, Bea lifted her foot before stomping down, driving her stiletto heel through the eye socket of the witch and crushing a portion of her skull. Stepping away from the now-very-deceased teenager, Bea let out an upset sigh. She had _loved_ these shoes, and they were unfortunately suede. On the bright side they were black, so perhaps she could clean off the blood and brain matter before the stain could set in.

Looking down at the mangled corpse of Bonnie Bennett, Bea felt another spike of anger. The girl had humiliated her and doled out judgement like it was her fucking job. Unsatisfied with the sight below her, Bea kneeled down next to the body.

Tearing the girl's heart out of her chest and throwing it against the wall in a tantrum was a bit therapeutic. Cutting off the bitch's head before putting it in the oven and cranking the heat up to five hundred degrees made her feel even better, especially when she noted that the oven door was glass and the head would be on display. After dragging what was left of the body into the backyard and depositing it carelessly on the grass, Bea let out a tired sigh. A second after, she turned to Klaus, who had an expression on his face that seemed impressed and somewhat fond... which was not only confusing, but mad her speculate about his mental wellbeing.

"I don't know why – I don't understand. But if you aren't going to kill me could you help wi..."

Without further ado, Bea's words trailed off and she slumped to the ground, utterly exhausted.


	33. Chapter 33

Damon had done his fair share of torturing, killing, etcetera. But as he drove up to the house where they were keeping Beatrix Mikaelson captive with Stefan and Elena he could honestly say that he had never heard a scream like the one that was coming from inside.

Immediately he threw open the door of the car and saw Stefan do the same while Elena scrambled to keep up. The moment he opened the front door he knew something had gone very, very wrong.

The woman whose home they were in was dead on the ground. Which meant that any vampire could have come into the house. And _shit_ Caroline and Bonnie were not prepared to deal with an attack – one that was likely Kol Mikaelson. He had… fuck, he had practically dared the Original to come after him on the phone, so sure that their location was secure. He should have stayed with them, but Elena had –

Damon was wrenched out of his thoughts when yet another scream rang out from the kitchen. Immediately he entered the kitchen alongside his brother and Elena. The first thought he had was that something like hair was burning, smelling strong enough that he only registered the huge amount of blood on the ground a moment afterwards.

His eyes were immediately drawn to Caroline, who was crouched on the floor and frantically shaking her head back and forth in denial, hysterical and somewhat deranged. Her screaming only stopped when she retched and kneeled over to begin dry-heaving. What the fuck was happening?

When Elena made a sound that – shit, it sounded like her throat had been torn apart – he realized she had discovered what was going on. Following her line of sight, he looked at the kitchen's oven.

Immediately Damon wished that he hadn't. He had one last coherent thought before everyone burst into action.

 _They had made a mistake, and they were all going to die for it._

* * *

Bea felt so incredibly uncomfortable as Niklaus placed her in the passenger seat of a fancy car that had been parked a few miles away. She hadn't passed out or anything, just been so exhausted that she hadn't been able to run herself – meaning she'd been carried.

Rigby always made fun of her for her lack of knowledge when it came to automobiles, but honestly – Bea knew when they were cute, fast, or expensive. She didn't really feel as though she needed to know more than that. From what she could tell, Klaus's car was all three. A second later the hybrid sped around to the driver's side and slid in easily, starting it up immediately.

Before Bea could even begin thinking about what to say, Klaus reached behind them to the backseat and passed her a bag. Opening it apprehensively, Bea couldn't hold back her muttered, "Oh thank the fucking Lord," when she saw that it contained a few blood bags.

Bea tore into them without an ounce of shame, nearly reminiscent of her time as a newly turned vampire when she had no control over her appetite or feeding. Only a minute later she'd finished off the four containers of blood. Letting out a pleased sigh, she dropped the last bag to her feet and leaned back against the smooth leather of the passenger seat.

The car was silent and Bea noted that Klaus was driving the speed limit – meaning that he most likely wished to spend a longer period of time with her in his car than necessary. Bea briefly pondered whether or not she should throw herself from the vehicle and attempt to flee but quickly disregarded the option. Not only would she get completely fucked up from the impact, but the hybrid could easily capture her.

To her own surprise, Bea was the one to speak first.

"I don't understand why you would help me, but I have my suspicions."

Klaus turned to her and from the edge of her vision Bea could see that he was giving her an assessing look. Though her statement had been a clear invitation for him to rant about whatever his plan was, instead he evenly asked, "And what conclusion have you reached?"

Bea took a few deep breaths in and out and tried to remain calm when she answered, "This is - Kol and I can't ignore that you did this. And it makes me so _mad_ because I -" her voice cracked and she continued after a deep breath "- I _hate_ you. It was harder, when you're the reason I'm still here, but you _hurt Kol_ , so badly. You took him away and laughed about it and -"

Klaus cut off her rambling, which had become more and more hoarse.

"You're right. I'm doing this as... a peace offering of sorts. I could have told Kol where I suspected you were, and instead I came for you alone."

Bea breathed in and out deeply, feeling the smallest bit more secure in the knowledge that evidently Klaus wasn't planning on killing her. She desperately clung on to the notion that Klaus would be bringing her back to Kol, something she wanted more than anything else in the world right now.

"It's smart of you."

She watched Klaus smirk and briefly turn to her as an amused expression covered his face.

"Does that surprise you?"

Bea had to give him that, and shrugged when she responded, "Not really; you have a tactical mind."

It was silent after that, but the silence wasn't exactly awkward - more resigned than anything else. When Klaus spoke once more, Bea was taken off guard by the quiet, even voice that seemed strangely sincere.

"I want to apologize for what happened that night."

Bea froze and clenched her fists tightly, trying to keep them from shaking angrily. He didn't get to _do this_. She and Kol had a plan, and revenge had been the driving force behind her actions for the last half of a year. They were owed their vengeance, and neither of them had ever wavered in their hatred and anger towards the hybrid. She was strangely enraged that he had saved her. It made everything - it made it _so hard_. Because Kol was the type of man who wouldn't ever back down if he was angry, but Bea also knew she was the most important thing in the world to him. For her safety - he could very well concede.

"You don't - you can't expect me to accept that. I am not a nice person, so objectively I understand why I was collateral damage when I've replayed that night over and over. But you have been horrible to Kol for the last millennium, and when you found us you _knew_ that he was finally happy. We were _happy_ and you didn't care that you were ruining it for him."

Bea let out a nearly-humorously loud sniffle and she saw Klaus make an aborted reach for the center console before putting his hand back on the wheel. But when she continued to sniff he let out a resigned sigh and fished a small packet of tissues out of the pocket between them. Bea tore into them and blew her nose, noting his flinch, and pettily wished she could blow it again to bother him.

Something suddenly struck her and a loud snarl tore its way out of her throat. Klaus's head whipped towards her and the car jerked slightly to the side as a result of her unexpected outburst, but Bea quickly let him know why she was pissed.

"Those _putains de connards_ stole my fucking _purse_! My _credit cards_ are in there! They're stolen, but oh my god! _The nerve_!"

Bea saw Klaus's hands tremble on the wheel but when she stopped her rant to look at him she was surprised to see him lips pressed together tightly as he fought back laughter. When he calmed down, he let out an incredulous snort and spoke in a weirdly fond tone.

"I'm likely the last person you want to hear this from, I'm sure, but you and Kol must be immensely entertaining together."


	34. Chapter 34

Kol had punched three holes in the front hallway's wall. His pacing hadn't ceased for a single moment since Rebekah had received a text from Klaus an hour before letting them know that Bea was safe and he would be taking her to the mansion. Immediately he'd left the Salvatore's home, which had been reduced to burning rubble at that point with twelve bodies in the backyard including the Mystic Falls fire department and the Sheriff.

There was the extreme stress and worry that Klaus would do something to her. And even the thought of the two of them alone, especially when Bea had just been presumably terrified while captured -

\- and that made four holes in the wall.

Kol shook his hand harshly as he pulled it out from the damage to the plaster, the bones healing and skin knitting back together in mere seconds. He could hear Rebekah let out an annoyed huff at his actions, but he knew it was a show mostly for his sake. She'd been trying to put on an air of normality around him, but Rebekah had been visibly panicked and upset when it had been revealed that the Salvatore brothers had done something to Bea. He vaguely appreciated the effort at distraction, but nothing could put him at ease at

Rigby was at the mansion with them, the vampire doppelganger tensely sitting beside her and looking nervously at Elijah every once in a while. Elijah had lifted a questioning eyebrow at her when she entered but the woman hadn't had a chance to respond before Rigby had pulled her inside authoritatively and rushed them both toward Kol.

Kol had been a bit baffled when Rigby yanked him down to crush him in a hug as Katerina had nodded to him in grim acknowledgement. The two women had immediately gone searching for Bea when they had heard Damon Salvatore at the other end of Bea's cell phone, solidifying Kol's appreciation of Bea's descendant. The look of shock on Elijah's face at Rigby and Katerina's actions had momentarily amused him before the situation had come crashing down on him again.

When he heard a car come speeding down the driveway, Kol ran out the door, moving faster than he could ever remember in his lifetime. Before the car even fully stopped he saw the passenger side door get thrown open hard enough that the hinges snapped. A second later in a blur, Bea launched herself at him.

Bea's arms were immediately flung around his neck and her legs wrapped around his waist, holding onto him tightly. Kol's arms wound around her back and he clutched her hard enough against his chest that he knew even as a vampire it must be bruising.

However, none of that seemed to matter. The only thing on his mind was his wife, who began heavily sobbing into the junction between his neck and shoulder. Her entire body was shaking and Kol could feel himself trembling as well, automatically letting out a low, soothing croon in response to her distress. Bea's sobbing devolved into harsh hyperventilation after a few minutes and in between breaths she began frantically speaking with an incredibly hoarse voice.

"J'avais si peur, ca faisait si mal, j'avais si peur."

Kol buried his own face in her hair and struggled not to break when his suspicion that she had been tortured was confirmed. Knowing that he had to be the strong one in the wake of her capture, he spoke back to her in a firm tone, immediately reassuring her.

Kol would murder everyone that had so much as touched her and ensure that it was permanently over.

"Ca va, Bea, ca va. Vous etes en securite maintenant. Je t'aime, cheri. Je t'aime tellement."

He could vaguely hear Niklaus exiting the vehicle and walking over to Elijah, whom he immediately began quietly speaking with. His reunion with Niklaus could wait. Bea was the most important thing right now. The most important thing to him always.

After a few minutes Bea's crying reduced to sniffles, even as her teeth chattered – a clear indicator of how exhausted she was.

When she loosened her legs Kol gently lowered her to the ground but immediately bent down to press his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. There wasn't the impulse to kiss her – right now just being with her was the most intimate action the two of them could experience. They both stayed still for a minute while cradling each other's faces, but when Kol began to run his fingers through her hair he had to retract it with a hiss as his hand burned.

Pulling back from her, he opened his eyes and studied her face as he tried to keep his voice gentle instead of showing his rage when he said, "Vervain?"

Bea nodded silently, but took a deep breath and released it slowly, finally quieting her crying completely. Kol didn't allow his newest flash of anger to show, especially when Bea had only just begun to calm down.

Kol knew that Bea's very first memory was when she'd been horrifically burned with boiling water as a child. Any sensation even slightly similar to being burned made her panic – if a shower was too hot or she ever leaned too close to her abominable attempts at cooking. And the people who had taken her had used enough vervain – likely in the air – for it to have saturated her hair and remained even an hour later. Unknowingly, they had done to her the single most traumatic thing they could have.

From the corner of his eye Kol could see Rigby tensing, evidently holding herself back, so Kol took a step back to allow her to also approach. Rigby sprinted over and immediately hugged Bea, staying strong when she firmly said, "I'm so, so glad you're okay. I love you so much, you're safe now."

Kol decided to give them a bit of privacy and instead turned before striding over to Niklaus. Before either he or Elijah said anything, Kol put nearly all of his strength into his arm as he punched Niklaus across the face and heard the resulting crack of a dislocated jaw and broken cheekbone.

Niklaus raised his hand to his face while he gritted his teeth harshly until the sound of his bones realigning sounded out.

Kol's entire body tensed and he clenched his hands tightly when he spat out with no small amount of hatred in his voice, "Why. Why did you help us?"

Niklaus schooled his expression into a blank one and looked incredibly serious as he evidently weighed his answer. After a few seconds he spoke evenly, "I deserve your anger and resentment, I know that. But I wish for reconciliation amongst our family. It's impossible immediately or even within this century, but I regret my actions all those years ago. I cannot reverse time, but I hope to atone for what took place."

Instinctively he bit out in a mocking voice, "How very hard is it for the great Niklaus to say that?"

His older brother didn't rise to the bait, instead his expression didn't waver.

Kol was so, so fucking enraged. And what made it even more maddening was that the main target of his hatred right now wasn't Niklaus. The murderous anger he felt was primarily aimed at the Salvatore brothers and their little group.

He… he didn't know where they should go from here.

* * *

After hugging and fussing over Bea for a minute or two Rigby stepped back, letting Rebekah cut in with her own embrace of her sister-in-law. And that was in and of itself a prospect that Rigby had initially been nervous about. There had been an instinctive fear about the fact that Bea now had a sister-in-law. Rigby's connection to her was a little more tentative, being her great niece.

Of course Bea had made it clear – after Rigby had admitted the nervousness with embarrassment after Bea noted her behavior – that nothing would ever come between them. Yes, it was really strangely out of character for Rigby to get self-conscious – but it had been just her and Bea for decades. Even the idea of someone coming along and replacing her had made a pit of anxiety appear in her stomach.

Bea had of course, as was in character for her, pinned Rigby to the ground and mercilessly taken advantage of Rigby's ticklishness as she relentlessly dug her fingers into Rigby's sides until she was laughing hard enough that tears appeared in her eyes. Bea had stubbornly refused to get off of her until Rigby repeated after her out loud that she knew she would always be Bea's "best friend forever and ever and ever."

Rigby had also come to like the female Original that much more when she had seen the woman's reaction to Bea's kidnapping. Her genuine worry and fear for Bea had quickly swayed Rigby's opinion of her to a positive one.

Rigby could hear commotion happening on the other side of the room between the Mikaelson brothers, but they had settled slightly and were now angrily exchanging words instead of actually attacking each other.

Of course, just after a wave of relief came over her at the idea that the tension was starting to dissipate even the littlest bit, Rebekah looked over to Katie and narrowed her eyes before saying, "And why is the doppelganger slut here?"

Before anyone else could speak, Bea flicked the side of her head, responding in a bland tone, "We like Katie. Act your age, sweetheart."

Rebekah only huffed in response and sarcastically said in return, "So lay down and imitate a skeleton to the best of my ability?"

Katie took the brief silence to quickly squeeze Bea's shoulder and say in a nonchalant tone of voice, "Congratulations on not dying."

Bea narrowed her eyes and turned to Rebekah before saying, "Never mind. Katie is the worst."

Rigby tried not to let her fondness show too obviously on her face when Katie came up behind her and wrapped her arms around her torso before propping her chin on her shoulder as she smugly said, "Nope. You love me. I make Eleanor happy."

At that, Rigby did feel a sappy smile stretch across her lips. Rebekah seemed to lose the haughty demeanor but immediately shot back, "Most likely owing to the orgasms."

Katie and Bea started snickering as Rigby blushed even more intensely than she had been, but before anything else could be said Elijah broke in and said, "Can we all speak together?"


	35. Chapter 35

It was… truthfully, incredibly awkward. But it seemed as though the Mikaelson brothers had called a temporary truce of some sort, so Bea walked over to Kol and tucked herself under his arm, which he immediately tightened around her shoulders after pressing a brief kiss to the top of her head.

When she peered up at Kol with a questioning glance, he let out a stressed sigh before saying in a tight voice, "Nik wants to help us."

Bea considered that, assessing the hybrid closely as his face remained impassive. Klaus had killed her. Brutally. But after their conversation in the car when he'd brought her back to Kol - _he'd brought her back to Kol_. Finally, she spoke in a quiet, even voice.

"Okay. He could be useful. He knows the group the best."

Bea heard Katie mutter under her breath, "Their deaths are _long_ overdue."

Klaus and Elijah both turned their heads to focus on her and Bea saw Katie tense, so unthinkingly she said, "Katie is off-limits."

The older two Mikaelson brothers turned back to her and looked intrigued for a second but were interrupted by Kol, who snorted and sounded surprisingly upbeat when he said, "I'd love to eviscerate Damon Salvatore."

Without a second of silence, Bekah immediately added, "I'd appreciate if the doppelganger wench could be saved for me. The bitch is awful."

Bekah's quick response made a flash of fondness hit Bea. The girl was lovely. And her moxie was fascinating after a millennium of being alive followed by nearly a century of being daggered. Of course the passion and interest in life wasn't new to Bea – Kol's own vitality had always entranced her and made her love him all the more. Briefly Bea began vaguely envisioning what Kol and she would do after they finished their business in Mystic Falls and were free to explore the world together.

Elijah opened his mouth and she had no idea what he was about to say – a defense of the teenager perhaps, or maybe calling dibs on his own member of the Mystic Falls group he'd like to kill. Bea cut him off in an offhand tone in case it was the latter when she said, "I've already taken care of their upstart little witch."

Klaus let out a loud laugh before saying in an appreciative voice, "Yes, you certainly did. If that's how you want to phrase a crushed skull, decapitation, and tearing out vital organs."

Kol twirled Bea around, a delighted smile taking over his mouth before he cupped Bea's face. With an equally wide smile she responded, "I put her head in the oven. It seems that after a century I still haven't gotten the hang of cooking."

Wide eyed, Kol stared at her for a moment before murmuring, "Shit, I love you – "

He cut himself off, tipping her face up and bending down to kiss her hard, apparently unconcerned with their audience. Bea could feel his fangs descend and blood well up from the small cuts he made on her lips, a gesture she repeated immediately. When he pulled away, she flicked her tongue over the remaining blood before whispering in a rasping voice, "The blood on the wall was one of my better paintings."

Kol's expression turned dark and he breathed out, "You're goddamn perfect," grabbing her hips and pulling her against him once more, grinding against her hard as their lips met again.

After a minute of licking at each other's mouths, Bea let out a low moan. They were interrupted, however, by Rigby, who let out a loud snort before saying, "You two are shameless."

Bea and Kol separated and without breaking eye contact with her Kol said, "We can postpone vengeance for a few hours. I'm borrowing a spare room."

Bea of course lifted her eyebrows and said in a challenging voice, "A few hours? Optimistic of you."

Instead of responding, Kol bent down and grabbed the back of her thighs before hitching her up against him and speeding up the grand staircase, throwing open a door to a nearby bedroom before kicking it shut.

Immediately Kol lifted her up a bit higher so her pelvis was rubbing against his stomach, putting her at a height that they could kiss. Pressing her against the wall just next to the door, he began rolling his body against hers, forcing a whimper from her throat. However, before anything got too heated he lowered her back down onto the ground.

"We should take a shower. You're likely wanting to wash away the vervain."

Bea nodded in response, though truthfully she'd actually grown accustomed to the slight sting her hair was causing as it fell down her back. Kicking off her shoes before shrugging out of her clothes only took a few seconds and Bea saw that Kol was now also naked. Pulling open a side door, Bea was relieved to see that it was indeed a bathroom with a shower that looked stocked full of bathing supplies.

Bea promptly turned the dial on to a comfortably warm temperature, momentarily ignoring Kol as she stood beneath the spray and let out a satisfied sigh. When he joined her in the shower, she was a little surprised that he didn't immediately move against her or kiss her. However, an immense wave of fondness overcame Bea when she turned and saw that he was reading the different labels of the bottles on the shelf, finally pulling out the shower gel before murmuring, "Come now, let's get you feeling better."

The two of them were silent, and tears came to Bea's eyes when Kol gently maneuvered one of her arms towards him and began slowly lathering her arms with the shower gel. He repeated the gesture on her other arm before turning her so she faced him. He kneeled slowly and did the same to both of her legs, traveling upward to lather her entire body, not at all sexually, simply caressing her softly.

Bea knew she would burst into tears at the tender expression on his face and if the atmosphere remained, so she quietly cleared her throat before saying, "I'll shampoo and condition. My hair is so long now; you'd probably bungle it."

Kol grinned at her, the mood lightening immediately when he responded, "Quite right, sweetheart." His expression turned positively _wicked_ , and he had no shame when he leaned down to trail his fangs lightly over her collarbone, murmuring against her skin, "Be sure to hurry. If I remember correctly, I owe you an orgasm or two."

Oh.

* * *

Rebekah tried to remain composed while speaking to her brothers as well as Rigby and Katerina. She and her brothers were doing a reasonable job, but Katerina's amused smirk hadn't left her face for the last half hour and Rigby had started snorting with laughter multiple times before stifling it.

"Kol mentioned he'd called upon a few covens he still had connections with to do location spells for what is left of the little Mystic Falls coalition -"

Elijah was cut off by a high pitched moan the wouldn't have been audible to humans, but seeing as everyone in the room was a vampire it was _all too_ _easy to hear_.

"Oh god, merde, _please_ just like that -"

The sound was muffled by what must have been a pillow and Elijah tried to keep a straight face, but a small uncomfortable flinch took over his face and he stopped speaking.

Klaus was the one to break the silence, saying in a glib tone, "It seems Kol and Beatrix will not be joining us for a while. We should continue our planning without them."

Rebekah really, _really_ hoped that her brother and sister-in-law would take a shorter period of time than 'an hour'.


	36. Chapter 36

Any French not immediately translated or hinted at is due to the character whose point of view it is not understanding. All translations featured at the end of the chapter. Mature scene at the beginning. Enjoy and review, my loves!

* * *

When Kol had first begun his relationship with Bea, he had at times doubted what he had ever done to deserve her. When she'd further revealed her sharp edges, hidden anger, and her passion for everything life could bring her, he'd realized that she was even better than he'd thought. An angel hadn't been delivered to his blood-soaked doorstep; instead it was a magnificent woman who would dance amongst chaos beside him with a smile on her face.

Kol couldn't actually see Bea's face at the moment, seeing as it was pressed against the pillow she was clutching, her lips tightly closed to prevent herself from making noise. Normally Kol would have coaxed more sounds from her, he would have wanted to _hear_ the pleasure he could bring her body with his own.

But with his siblings downstairs having already likely heard their escapades twenty minutes ago when Kol had licked at her until she orgasmed, he now felt a similar desire to the one she had to keep quiet. To keep this moment private between them.

Fuck, he would never get over this. Years of sex with Bea had passed but every time he was inside of her it felt like absolution. The two of them had begun speaking in French to one another after the first time she came and they'd softly conversed for a few minutes until Bea was no longer oversensitive and wanted to have sex. This time there hadn't been the urgency Kol had first felt to make Bea orgasm. Now it was a slow, smooth glide and the impossibly good feeling of Bea all around him.

Bea was on her stomach with her hips only slightly lifted off of the bed. Kol held himself up with his forearms bracketing her head, occasionally brushing strands of her hair over her shoulder so he could press his lips to the soft, sweaty curls at the nape of her neck. At the end of each thrust Kol would pause for half a second before grinding even deeper into her. _This_ was where he belonged. After each stroke he draped himself over her back, pressing his entire body against her and reveling in the feeling of their skin-on-skin contact and the sweat between them.

When it was slow like this, everything seemed magnified. Rough fucking was fantastic and not at all emotionless– it wasn't as though when she was bent in half and covered with cum she wasn't still _Bea_ – but when they had slow sex it felt like they were joined together on a deeper level, becoming _KolandBea_.

She was so warm and wet around him. Every time she shivered he had to hold his breath and steel himself to keep from finishing. When Bea lifted her head and turned it to the side slightly it was only to murmur breathlessly, " _tellement bon,_ _je t'aime tellement_."

Kol let more of his weight press down on her back as he leaned down to press light kisses up and down her neck, finally letting his lips trail against the shell of her ear when he whispered back, " _Je t'aime, cheri. Je t'aime, Beatrix Mikaelson."_

Bea let out a whimper and her breath hitched. Kol stopped his movements, his cock buried inside her while Bea shook.

" _Est-ce que tu vas bien_?"

Kol knew that Bea could get overwhelmed during sex and feel out of control. While it _could_ be fantastic, other times she also got nervous. However, Bea's immediate nod in response to his question let him know that she was alright and wanted to keep going.

When Kol didn't immediately start moving, Bea's impatience showed in the backwards movements of her own hips fucking herself on him.

Kol, however, pulled out before turning over so he sat up against the headboard. Of course Bea immediately understood and climbed into his lap, spreading her legs on either side of his thighs and letting out a low sigh as she lowered herself onto him, leaning against him so her back was pressed to his chest. From this position Kol could lean his head down and over her shoulder, giving him a gorgeous view of her body.

Kol trailed his hands up and down her arms and stomach, letting his fingers wander lightly and paying close attention to her scarred, sensitive shoulder. They continued slowly moving against each other, but after Bea had rubbed at her own clit for a few minutes and evidently come to the conclusion that she wouldn't orgasm again, she let her head fall back completely against Kol, turning her head and bearing her neck to him.

" _Vous pouvez laisser aller_."

After getting permission from his wife, Kol wrapped both arms tightly around Bea just below her ribs and began thrusting up harshly into her, chasing his own peak at the same moment that he let his fangs pierce her skin shallowly. The combination of Bea pliant against him and letting him do what he wanted and the taste of her blood quickly sent him over the edge.

After releasing her neck, Kol gently licked over the wound, watching as it closed, leaving behind only smooth skin. Bea hummed and slowly lifted herself up a few inches, letting him slip out of her before once more sitting down on him and breathing deeply to catch her breath.

Kol knew he was uncharacteristically sweet after sex, but it was Bea, so he wasn't embarrassed in the slightest as he pulled her even closer to him and kissed up and down her neck languidly. After a minute he removed one of his arms from her torso and held it in front of her so the skin of his wrist was only a centimeter from her lips.

Bea bit into him as gently as she could and took a few long pulls of his blood before pulling back and moving his arm so her could lace their fingers together.

All was quiet in the bedroom, and Kol had a fleeting desire to run away with her. To leave all of this behind and buy a house, live as a vampire with Bea, and simply start the life they should have had.

But that couldn't happen. They had things to do and people to kill.

* * *

Rebekah had never felt so annoyed by her lack of knowledge regarding French than she did now.

Kol had strode into the kitchen wearing only his pants, smelling strongly of sex but having no concern or decency. After he had filled up two glasses of water without even glancing at her, Rebekah heard Bea shout down from the room upstairs she and Kol had just spent the last hour in.

" _Savez-vous de quelle pièce s'agit-il? Puis-je voler une chemise?"_

God, this was irritating. Of course Rebekah couldn't show that she was bothered – Kol would no doubt never speak English in front of her again, and she had a feeling that Bea would go along with Kol's stupidity.

Kol obviously hadn't noted Rebekah's ire and took a long sip from his glass before shouting back up, " _C'est bien. Niklaus vous doit plus qu'une chemise, en tout cas_."

So they were discussing Nik now? Rebekah felt a spike of wariness at that. She knew the truce between her brothers was still tenuous, and if Bea and Kol were planning something – well, there was nothing she could do without the details.

" _Bleu ou vert_?"

Kol now sounded annoyed but somewhat entertained – _never_ a good thing – before he yelled, " _Dépend, voulez-vous faire ressortir vos yeux ou votre blush baisée?"_

Bea let out a huff loud enough to be heard from the kitchen, but a minute later she wandered in wearing a pair of boxers – no doubt Kol's – and a green t shirt.

Striding over to Kol, she flicked his temple lightly before saying in what Rebekah was fairly sure was an insulting tone, " _Je déteste ton accent Canadien. Surtout quand vous êtes ennuyeux."_

Kol snickered in response and wrapped his arms around Bea from behind. Rebekah felt a pang of envy. Yes, she was happy for Kol and she really liked Bea, but – they loved each other so _obviously_. Well, sometimes it seemed like they annoyed the hell out of each other, but their marriage was so bloody... _devoted_ might be the right word. And Rebekah had never had something like that.

Bea stifled a yawn into the crook of her elbow and Rebekah suddenly remembered that Bea had likely not slept at all last night. Already somehow her capture seemed like a thing of the past. Nik and Elijah had left the house half an hour ago to consult with some witches about a tracking spell for the local teenagers and Rebekah had mostly lazed about watching television after Rigby and Katerina had also left to presumably return to the apartment she and Bea shared.

Suddenly Rebekah saw her sister-in-law swivel her head to look at her, smiling shyly before she said, " _Désolé pour le bruit, charmant._ "

Before she could respond, Rebekah watched as Kol lightly squeezed Bea before murmuring, "English, darling."

Bea looked a little bit embarrassed when she said, "Sorry, we go back and forth."

She shrugged off the apology and responded in a glib voice, "For the best, I think. I'm quite sure I don't want to understand much of what you two say."

Kol untangled his arms from around Bea and turned to look at his wife, lifting his eyebrows up and down and looking ridiculous when he said, "Oh no you don't. Quite filthy. Bea was just saying some positively lascivious things."

Rebekah choked on the tea she'd just lifted to her lips, but Bea's reaction changed her shock to amusement. The woman's mouth dropped open in offense and she began sputtering before she finally let out an angry sound and smacked Kol's shoulder as he burst into laughter.

"Oh my god! I did not, you complete ponce!"

However instead of responding, Kol simply passed Bea the glass of water he'd poured for her and her anger seemed to disappear entirely. Pecking Kol quickly with a murmured, "Thanks, babe," she began taking large gulps.

Both of them seemed to grow serious at the same moment, leveling Rebekah suddenly with nearly-identical stares. Bea put down her water and spoke first with her face changing to an anticipatory smile.

"So, what's the plan so far? I'm practically _itching_ for some carnage and dismemberment."

Rebekah suppressed a wince. She had grown used to Kol's bloodthirsty and at times twisted behavior, but it was… strange to see it matched by the woman who looked like the peak of propriety and reeked of refinement. At least it affirmed how well-matched they were. Briefly she wondered at what Bea must have been like as a human. Surely not a serial killer, but the anger and callousness enhanced by vampirism had to have already existed.

"Elijah and Nik called in a few witches who are particularly proficient in tracking and location spells. Within the day we'll know where the teenagers are."

Kol nodded and Rebekah watched Bea's expression become distant as she murmured, "I did, too, actually. Had to let her go, unfortunately."

Rebekah was nearly positive the witch Bea spoke of was no longer breathing.

* * *

Elijah and Klaus had remained entirely composed. That was until the witch in front of them suddenly sucked in a harsh breath.

"Wait. Bea? As in Beatrix Mikaelson? Was Eleanor Morris with her?"

Both Elijah and Klaus stiffened at that, and Elijah saw that a small snarl had covered Klaus's face. Asking for a tracking spell from this witch in order to find where the Mystic Falls group were was a delicate situation already, and any complications could delay their revenge.

"What concern is it of yours?"

The witch in front of them smiled – much too serenely for her following statement – as she said, "I went over to the house of some uppity bitch my now-ex-husband slept with. She was dead and my identification spell saw their names as the last in the witch's apartment. Honestly, I am _more_ than willing to help those girls out."

Elijah saw Klaus turn towards him, and quickly returned the satisfied smirk.

* * *

 _Do you know whose room this is? Can I steal a shirt?_

 _It's fine. Niklaus owes you more than a shirt, anyway._

 _Blue or green?_

 _Depends, do you want to bring out your eyes or your fucked-out blush?_

 _I detest your Canadian accent. Especially when you're being annoying._

 _Sorry about the noise, lovely._


End file.
